sportive lemur

Sportive lemurs are small, slender primates belonging to the genus Lepilemur and are native to Madagascar. They are part of the broader lemur suborder, Strepsirrhini, which are generally defined as primitive primates, with most species indigenous to Madagascar.123

Sportive lemurs are characterized by their solitary and nocturnal habits. Their diet consists mainly of leaves and flowers, which they digest in a large cecum with the help of bacteria. This bacterial fermentation allows them to extract energy from cellulose, a component of plant cell walls that is otherwise indigestible. There are at least 25 species of sportive lemurs found throughout Madagascar in both rainforests and dry forests.3