In the early morning on the island of Madagascar, as the first rays of sunlight hit the ground, a group of small animals like foxes just woke up and began their "sun worship ritual". They found an empty place, spread their limbs, put their hands up, faced the sun, and meditated calmly, as if they had fallen into contemplation, entering a paradise world, and indulging in the warm sunlight all over their bodies.
This group of strange primates has a pair of snow-white ears, big round eyes, a small and exquisite mouth, and a long tail with stripes behind it. Because they resemble foxes, the Malagasy people gave them the name "Ring-tailed Lemur". Although it is not a native species in China, it has appeared in China as early as the twenty-sixth year of Qianlong (1761). The Qing court painter Lang Shining drew a "Toe-crossing True Picture", in which the "true" is the knot-tailed lemur.
<h1>01 The last "woman country" in the animal kingdom, the female is the master, and even the underage female can inherit power from the mother</h1>
About 60 million years ago, the ancestors of the ring-tailed lemur originated in Africa, and some of them crossed the strait to Madagascar and began to thrive here. As the continent drifts, the islands of Madagascar and Africa are getting farther and farther away and increasingly isolated.
The ancestors of the lemurs who remained in Africa and Europe were at a disadvantage when competing with other higher monkeys, and were excluded by the emerging high-IQ apes, slowly withering away, and finally gradually becoming extinct.
These ancestors on the island of Madagascar, because there are no natural enemies, have been preserved and evolved into dozens of species of lemurs today. As a result, ring-tailed lemurs are currently only distributed in the southern and western parts of the African island of Madagascar, living in dry forests and living a carefree life despite their hardships.
However, this cute ring-tailed lemur did not evolve into a patrilineal society like most primates. Instead, she has been living in a primitive matriarchal society, and the status of female monkeys is supreme and noble.
For millions of years, ring-tailed lemurs have been "women holding up the whole sky"! The entire family has always been the female master, and their monkey king is the female, who is responsible for directing the operations, managing all the affairs of the clan, big and small, and enjoying various priorities. Even underage females can inherit power from their mothers, exactly like the imperial succession in human society.
The young and middle-aged male monkeys, their status is very humble, even eating and drinking are ranked behind, at most as a tool for mating and reproduction. The new males, old males and underage males outside are of lower status, they are "slaves" in the entire monkey herd, have no power, and are driven by females all day long.
<h1>02 The body of the cat has a fox face and wears "smoky makeup" all year round</h1>
The ring-tailed lemur, also known as the knot-tailed lemur, has the characteristics of four animals at the same time: the face of the fox, the body of the cat, the tail of the leopard, and the movements of the monkey.
Adult male ring-tailed lemurs head body length is about 100 cm, of which. The body only occupies 30-45 cm, while the tail occupies 40-60 cm; the weight is only about 2 kg, and not a single cat weighs.
The whole face looks like a small fox. The head is relatively small, the forehead is low, but the ears are large, the two ear wounds are long and hairy, the sides of the head are also covered with long hairs, the snout is long and prominent, and the lower incisors are comb-shaped. What is surprising is that there is a dark circle around the big reddish-brown eyes, like a Hong Kong girl wearing "smoky makeup" all year round.
The body of the ring-tailed lemur is more like a cat, with light gray-brown fur on the back and a grayish-white abdomen. The forehead, back of the ears and cheeks are white, which contrasts sharply with the black snout and eye circles, which is very interesting.
There are monkey statues on all fours, but strangely, its hind limbs are longer than its forelimbs, and it walks and swings like a drunkard drinking.
The palms and soles of the feet are covered with long, fluffy hairs, which increase the friction when jumping and landing, and will not slip even when walking or jumping on smooth rocks.
<h1>03 drags a long tail like a leopard behind him, which is not only used to exchange information, but also to store nutrients as a "warehouse"</h1>
The ring-tailed lemur is most interesting, that is, it drags a tail that is longer than the body, high and upturned, a bit like a leopard's tail, and also has a ring of black and white stripes, which are very eye-catching, about 11-13.
Don't look at this long tail, it is very important for the ring-tailed lemur, it can be said that the tail is a symbol of the lemur's hierarchical status, if the tail is broken, it will be in a very unfavorable state in the group, the level is not guaranteed, and it can only live in the group.
The tail of the ring-tailed lemur is not only very beautiful, but it grows not only for good looks, but also useful.
First, when the ring-tailed lemur is active in the woods, its beautiful ring-tail is often cocked high, like a flag of black and white stripes, very eye-catching, even at great distances, which is a signal that the ring-tailed lemurs are in contact with each other, as if to tell its family members: I am here, I have found a good meal, or some other information.
Second, the tail of the ring-tailed lemur can also emit the smell inside the stink glands in the air. According to zoologists, each odor is as easily distinguishable as a person's fingerprint and can also show the different positions of its owner in the group.
Third, of course, male ring-tailed lemurs also use their tails to demonstrate to each other. Of course, males can also use their tails to "stink and flirt" and fight for mating rights.
Fourth, there is another function that you would never have imagined, their tails can also be used as a "warehouse" to store nutrients. When food is scarce, it is necessary to consume the nutrients stored in the tail to sustain itself until food is found.
<h1>04 Walking upright like a person, the cute posture of "meditating" when basking in the sun, as if to give people a hug, is simply fascinating</h1>
Ring-tailed lemurs usually like to gather together in groups, usually 6-15 per group, up to 20. Females of the same group are almost inseparable, huddled together in the forest to rest and play, and comb each other's hair with comb-like lower incisors and hook-like claws.
The mother monkey also loves her children very much, so she kisses them with her nose. No matter where they go, the mother monkey generally carries the young monkey, either riding on the mother monkey's back or hanging on the mother monkey's abdomen, no matter what happens, the young monkey will cling to the mother monkey, especially when the mother monkey jumps between the branches. Without their mothers, these young monkeys could be in danger of life at any time.
Ring-tailed lemurs are very active during the day and like to move on the ground, not much with tree activities. At night, they will be divided into several small groups, and they will sleep together, so that they can withstand the cold at night and the other is safer.
Climbing, jumping and running are all strengths for ring-tailed lemurs. When jumping between large trees, the balance of the body can be adjusted with a long fluffy tail, so that the whole body is like a spring, and can jump up to the tree 9 meters away, and always grasp the trunk first with the hind feet.
Its hind limbs are longer than its forelimbs, and its forelimbs are short and weak, so the ring-tailed lemur falls backwards on its head and feet when it descends the tree. With a long tail that balances, it can even walk upright like a human.
The "meditating" posture of the ring-tailed lemur is really a fascinating person. Every day when it is basking in the sun, it will always have its legs together, and then hold its head high and stretch out its arms, as if to give people a hug, it looks really cute.
Of course, it is basking in the sun like this, just let its body heat evenly, after all, everyone knows that when the area is larger, the heating range will be greater.
<h1>05 Love sour horns, female monkeys and cubs have the first right to drink water, and male monkeys can only drink it until they have finished drinking</h1>
The ring-tailed lemur is an opportunistic omnivore that eats everything it can and never picky eats. When eating, I also like to hold it with my "hand" and turn my head upside down to eat and drink.
Usually mainly feed on leaves, flowers and fruits, when the conditions are good, they can find a lot of capers, which are commonly known as sour horns, tamarinds, is the favorite of the ring-tailed lemur, they can also distinguish which fruits are ripe through the smell.
This fruit generally ripens in the middle of the dry season, when there is drought everywhere, very few fruits ripen, you can find your favorite fruit, it is really snow charcoal. At this time, the female lemurs in particular need enough sour horn fruit to provide sufficient milk for the young.
When food is scarce during the dry season, their recipes become more and more diverse. Began to prey on small birds, small reptiles, insects, spiders, even spider webs, and sometimes eat rotten wood, who called themselves not born in southern China, but in this hapless Africa.
Of course, the areas where they usually live are relatively arid forests, and the water source is usually only grass and the dew on the leaves is very limited. In order to keep their race alive, most male ring-tailed lemurs are also very gentlemanly and will honestly obey the rules of drinking water.
When drinking water, female ring-tailed lemurs and cubs have the first right to enjoy, and male ring-tailed lemurs can only drink when they are finished drinking.
<h1>06 When a territorial dispute occurs, the female monkeys fight the male monkeys to watch the play; whoever smells the most on the male can win the right to mate</h1>
When it comes to the world's odor-emitting animals, the first thing that many people think of is likely to be skunks. In fact, in our primate family, the ring-tailed lemur is no less than the skunk.
Most animals that can release odor have only 1-2 odor glands on the body, but in the ring-tailed lemur, there are 3 odor glands that can release odor, one distributed in the anus, one in the armpits, and one on the inside of the wrist joint. They often secrete these strangely smelly bodily fluids, what is the use?
First, the stink glands are not just used to show off, they can be used as road signs. When the ring-tailed lemur is far from home, it will discharge the odor on the road and then find its way back through the odor so that it does not get lost.
Second, in order to prevent other ring-tailed lemurs from entering their territory, female monkeys will rub their tails around their territory, release odor, and then fan their tails to blow the odor farther away, and this odor can last for a long time without dissipating. It is by releasing this "scent weapon" that they make a territorial mark, warning other ring-tailed lemurs not to approach.
When there is a territorial conflict, the female lemurs wave their limbs and hit each other with their bodies, their nails are sharp, making the attack more lethal, and they will also jump in the air and kick each other's bodies with their legs.
A battle usually lasts 2-3 minutes, after which both sides leave the territorial border. At this point, the male monkey will only stand by and watch, doing nothing.
Why do the female monkeys risk their lives to fight while the males stand by? Because no matter which side wins, the male monkeys are safe, and they do not need to join the dangerous battle.
Third, during the breeding season, it becomes a tool for competing for mate rights. Every year during the mating season, male ring-tailed lemurs fight each other for mating rights.
When it stinks, the male monkeys desperately rub the stink glands, as far as possible to release the odor, some of the male monkeys who are smoked red eyes, and even directly pick up the tail covered with stinky liquid and throw it at each other, who has the strongest smell, you can get the right to mate with the opposite sex.
The female monkeys don't come forward, they just sit quietly and enjoy the scent game.
<h1>epilogue</h1>
This primordial primate world on Earth, with fewer than 2,000 worldwide, is likely to be the last "woman country". If hunting, habitat loss and illegal animal trade are stopped, and the ring-tailed lemur is actively protected, this amazing species will have a great chance of recovering its population and continuing to hold up the whole sky, otherwise, it may disappear completely. If mass extinctions really come, can we escape this catastrophe?
Snow Spirit Valley Animal Lab/Production
References: Nature Magazine, China Science Daily, China Forestry Network, Wildscreen, Scientific American