# Ring-tailed lemurs



## Mattis

So if you saw my avatar you have probably guessed that I am a fan of lemurs 
I just love these little guys. They are cute, incredibly curious and I have yet to find a way to describe how soft they are...

Here are two shots of their offspring that I took last Sunday:



Ring Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr




Ring Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr

As you can see in the first one, it's completely open and the little guy was just haging out with us. Their two kids are about one and a half years old now.


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## goooner

Great shots!


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## Aedai

Look at those eyes!


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## tirediron

Great faces!


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## Mattis

Aedai said:


> Look at those eyes!


I know right? I always try to bring out their eyes as much as possible because they really are amazing. They are mostly grey and white, it makes their eyes stand out so extremely well^^



tirediron said:


> Great faces!


I love their faces. They have really strinking expressions in my opinion.

Here's the shot from my avatar of one of their older ones:



Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr

And their grandma:



Granny Lemur (Ring-Tailed Lemur) by Mathias Appel, on Flickr


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## annamaria

Caught their expressions pretty well. [emoji3]


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## Mattis

annamaria said:


> Caught their expressions pretty well. [emoji3]


Thanks! They always look either very relaxed or extremely curious, I love that about them^^

Here's another one:



Ring-tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr


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## waday

So cute. I like that last one!


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## Mattis

waday said:


> So cute. I like that last one!


Thanks!
Yeah, they really are adorable little buggers. And since you can get so close to them that makes for some very interesting photo opportunities!
You just have to be prepared for them to make your bag dirty  When I was there on Sunday I wanted to change lenses which they saw as an opportunity to inspect my backpack. It had paw prints all over it^^
Like this:



Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr
This is actually the one from the first post, she was about half a year old then.

And they love handcarts as well:



Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr

Not a ring-tailed lemur, but this black-and-white ruffed lemur decided to claim my backpack:



Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr
She sat on it for about half an hour^^


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## Hunter58

Nice shots.  Love the eyes.


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## limr

Mattis said:


> Ring-tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr



"I am quite over your shenanigans, thank you."


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## limr

I'm camping out in this thread for a while because the pictures are just too damn cute. I have yet to see a lemur in real life, but ever since I realized that people pronounce my user name "lemur," I have felt an obligation to go find some


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## Mattis

limr said:


> I'm camping out in this thread for a while because the pictures are just too damn cute. I have yet to see a lemur in real life, but ever since I realized that people pronounce my user name "lemur," I have felt an obligation to go find some


Thanks a lot!
Where do you live? Zoos with open (or at least partially open) lemur enclosures seem to be relatively common. I highly recommend that you try to fine a location like that, it really makes for some very unique shots^^ Not to mention that the little buggers are a lot of fun to hang out with.


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## limr

Closest zoo to me is the Bronx Zoo. I know they have lemurs, though I'm not sure if they are open or not. It'll have to wait, though, because I won't go there until fall at the least. Too many people and class trips there this time of year. I know - at one point I was one of the kids on a school trip there!


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## Mattis

limr said:


> Closest zoo to me is the Bronx Zoo. I know they have lemurs, though I'm not sure if they are open or not. It'll have to wait, though, because I won't go there until fall at the least. Too many people and class trips there this time of year. I know - at one point I was one of the kids on a school trip there!


From what I can tell they all seem to be behind a fence. They don't seem to like that: 




If it was an open enclosure there would be videos on Youtube about lemurs jumping on people at that zoo  



My guess is they aren't risking it because people might harm the animals.


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## limr

The location of the Bronx Zoo is also kind of tricky, so they might be afraid of animals escaping as well. It's not a large zoo and it is smack dab in the middle of urban chaos. It's another reason I have only gone there a couple of times. I was there on a class trip as a kid, as I mentioned, and a few years back, I worked for a summer ESL program that brought students there for a trip.

Maybe I'll plan my next vacation specifically to go to a place that has a zoo with open enclosures for lemurs! (What a funny oxymoron that is: an open enclosure.)


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## Mattis

limr said:


> The location of the Bronx Zoo is also kind of tricky, so they might be afraid of animals escaping as well. It's not a large zoo and it is smack dab in the middle of urban chaos. It's another reason I have only gone there a couple of times. I was there on a class trip as a kid, as I mentioned, and a few years back, I worked for a summer ESL program that brought students there for a trip.
> 
> Maybe I'll plan my next vacation specifically to go to a place that has a zoo with open enclosures for lemurs! (What a funny oxymoron that is: an open enclosure.)


Them escaping isn't even that much of an issue as long as their area is big enough. The area at the zoo where I took these photos is completely open. No door, no fence. It's their territory so they stay there.
Just to make sure (and to please their insurance company) they do have two small bridges leading to the enclosure that are hooked up to a live wire but those aren't really much of an obstacle for them. I've never even seen them close to to them.
The red ruffed lemurs at the other zoo I like to visit are curious about what's going on outside their area though. And recently their offspring from two years ago did get away, climbed up a tree and broke his leg when he fell. As far as I know that kind of lemur doesn't stay as much inside their own territory as the ring-tailed lemurs.


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## Mattis

Here are two other ones:



Ring-tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr


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## Mattis

Took some more of them yesterday:




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr

I cut of her hand but I guess it still works:



Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, on Flickr


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## Mattis

Another one of their offspring:



Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr


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## Mattis

And another one:




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr

I just love their derpy expressions.


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## snowbear

These are cute!  thanks for sharing.

@limr: I went to the Bronx zoo  few years ago and really liked it.  It was probably my best view of the red panda (ours kept escaping so he's been temporarily exiled to Front Royal, VA)


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## Mattis

Thanks, but that's all them. I'm just taking the photos 

Here's a closeup:







And on a tree:


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## Mattis

Here's a new one from yesterday:




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr

I didn't even expect them to come out, the day started really badly with a ton of rain.

And this is their flabby grandma:



Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr

When she jumps from tree to tree her floppy belly flaps up and down, like beautiful fat wings ^.^


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## baturn

What a great thread. I don't understand how I haven't seen it before now. Fun!


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## Mattis

baturn said:


> What a great thread. I don't understand how I haven't seen it before now. Fun!


Hey thanks! That means a lot to me 

Also, if you think this thread is fun you should see how much fun it is to actually hang out with these little guys! When I was there on Sunday one of their offspring from last year came up to me from behind and started to play with my hand^^ They are absolutely adorable!


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## Mattis

It's been a while, so I got some new ones:




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr

Taking shots of them was difficult today. They spent most of the time on my lap and on my back and not in front of my lens


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## Mattis

Got some fresh ones:




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr

The first one in this post is the only adult male of their group. And since female ring-tailed lemurs are in charge of the group his life is pretty tough XD
When I was there last week he was getting a little frisky. He was purring like a madman (yes, they purr, and it's adorable) and poking one of the females with his tail. But they were busy checking out my backpack, so she got mad at him and slapped him  He let out the most sad shriek I have ever heard, poor little bastard...
And on Sunday he was slapped again by one of them just for getting so close. He went  to a little girl, sat down next to her and wanted to be pet for comfort, it was the cutest thing ever!


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## beagle100

lemurs are cute


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## Mattis

beagle100 said:


> lemurs are cute


No. They are vicious little monsters that bite you to the bone when given half the chance! At least that's what the zoo keepers are saying... Which isn't true at all.
Last Sunday I had them on my lap again and one even licked my nose^^ They are the cutest little guys ever and some of the most friendly critters I have ever met. It's mainly their curiosity but I'd say they are also showing at least a little bit of affection once they get to know you a little.


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## annamaria

Love this series and the stories.  They're so cute!!


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## Mattis

Praise the sun!




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr

Dad has an ichy chin




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr

And remember Big Momma?




Ring-Tailed Lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr

She used to be the leader of this group but she recently was dethroned by another female. She's doing fine, she just isn't in charge anymore and is grumpy because she can't eat as much as she wants anymore XD


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## Mattis

It's April, temperatures are reaching double digits again, that means lemur season is upon us once again!




Ring-Tailed Lemur enjoying the nice spring weather by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr


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## robbins.photo

Wow... beautiful shot!

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## annamaria

Great set!


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## limr

This is a fantastic shot! The lemur is framed perfectly by the darker leaves, you've got eye contact and that outstandingly fabulous tail tail draped over the shoulder. Excellent!


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## jcdeboever

Neat animal. Wonderful capture. Sometimes I feel like a Lemur.

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## Mattis

Lemur kisses:




lemur by Mathias Appel, auf Flickr


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