Head to head
Greater Bamboo Lemur vs Ring-Tailed Lemur
Greater Bamboo Lemur
VS Ring-Tailed Lemur
The greater bamboo lemur and ring-tailed lemur are both lemurs of Madagascar, but one is a bamboo specialist with almost no animals left and the other the island's most famous lemur.
| Greater Bamboo Lemur | Ring-Tailed Lemur | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Prolemur simus | Lemur catta |
| Diet | Herbivore, eating mainly giant bamboo shoots, stems, and leaves, along with fruit | Omnivore, eating fruit, especially tamarind, as well as leaves, flowers, sap, insects, and small vertebrates |
| Special feature | Eats giant bamboo that contains cyanide, and has strong jaws to crack the stems | Thirteen alternating black and white tail rings, used as a signal flag and a scent weapon |
| Social life | Not specifically documented | Troops of 11 to 25 animals, always led by a dominant female |
| Habitat | Rainforest in a few small areas of southeastern Madagascar | Dry forest, spiny bush, and rocky canyons of southern and southwestern Madagascar |
| Size | The largest of the bamboo lemurs | Body about 40 cm, with a tail of 55 to 60 cm, longer than the body |
| Population | Very few animals remain | Perhaps 2,000 to 2,500 in the wild, down roughly 95 percent since 2000 |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered, with a decreasing population | Endangered, with a decreasing population |
Greater Bamboo Lemur vs Ring-Tailed Lemur: common questions
Which lemur eats poisonous bamboo?
The greater bamboo lemur, which feeds on giant bamboo that contains cyanide in amounts that could poison most other animals.
How many rings does the ring-tailed lemur's tail have?
Thirteen alternating black and white rings, which it uses as a signal flag and a scent weapon.
Where do the greater bamboo lemur and ring-tailed lemur live?
The greater bamboo lemur lives in a few small areas of rainforest in southeastern Madagascar, while the ring-tailed lemur lives in dry forest and bush in the south and southwest.