The animals familiar to many from the animated film *Madagascar* are easily recognizable by their long, ringed tails, which they characteristically hold high while walking. Ring-tailed lemurs (katta) live in the forests of southern and southwestern Madagascar, and, unusually among lemur species, they spend a significant amount of time on the ground.
Their social structure is unique: adult females are dominant over males. A characteristic behavior is their early morning “sunbathing,” when they warm themselves in groups with outstretched arms. Newborns are born with blue eyes, which turn bright yellow within a few weeks. Although they are breastfed until they are five months old, they begin eating plant-based food as early as two months of age.
The Nyíregyháza Zoo showcases this species in several enclosures. Visitors can even walk among a group consisting exclusively of males in the Lemur Forest. Due to the breeding season, the population is expected to continue growing.
Together with the two cubs born three weeks ago, there are currently a total of 25 ring-tailed lemurs living at the zoo.
