Interplay of Phenology and Reproduction in Ring-Tailed Lemurs: Implications for Ring-Tailed Lemur Conservation

Data are presented on ring-tailed lemur feeding ecology and resource use at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve in southwestern Madagascar. The phenological availability of food resources was sampled monthly from 199 trees and 31 species. Results indicate that Lemur catta feeding ecology is finely tuned to the seasonal nature of specific food resources. Key species provide important food items during critical periods of the reproductive cycle. During a drought year, mortality for mothers and infants increased dramatically, providing indirect evidence that this species is highly dependent on the phenological reliability of food resources. These results indicate that in such highly seasonal habitats, the loss of any key species could have enormous impact on ring-tailed lemur demography and survival.