Dietary and Ranging Behavior of Semi-Free Ranging Lemur catta and Varecia rubra at Myakka City Lemur Reserve,...

Lemurs are severely threatened due to anthropogenic habitat loss and climate change. Therefore, understanding how lemurs adapt their diets to novel habitats is critically important for maintaining healthy wild populations and effectively managing captive populations. Here we present two case studies of the dietary and ranging behavior of semi-free ranging ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta; two groups) and red ruffed lemurs (Varecia rubra; two groups) at the Myakka City Lemur Reserve managed by the Lemur Conservation Foundation. We found that ring-tailed lemurs spent 64.5% of their time resting and 13.4% foraging and feeding. The most important food types for ring-tailed lemurs were mature leaves (55.9%) and detritus (12.6%); however, they consumed nine other food types, including living animals (0.7%). Ring-tailed lemurs consumed 14 plant species, 9 of which have not previously been reported. Home ranges for the two ring-tailed lemur groups were 0.18 ha and 0.20 ha, representing 9.7% and 11.4% of their forested enclosures. Ring-tailed lemurs foraged primarily within one meter from the ground. Red ruffed lemurs spent 44.9% resting and 29.6% foraging and feeding. The most important food types for red ruffed lemurs were young leaves (32.9%), mature leaves (22.0%), flower buds (15.7%), and unripe fruit (11.9%) with only three other food types consumed. Red ruffed lemurs consumed 43 different species, all of which have not been previously reported. Home ranges for the two red ruffed lemur groups were 0.83 ha and 0.87 ha representing 40.8% and 55.9% of their forested enclosures. Red ruffed lemurs also foraged primarily within one meter from the ground. This is one of very few published studies on semi-free ranging ring-tailed lemurs outside Madagascar and the first dietary study on semi-free ranging red ruffed lemurs outside Madagascar. We hope that these results can be used to inform management practices among captive lemur populations, other primates, and other taxa living in novel environments.