Indi, also known as Babakoto, is one of the largest living lemurs in Madagascar

Home / Blog / Lemur Facts for World Lemur Day: Madagascar’s Primates Up Close

Lemur Facts for World Lemur Day: Madagascar’s Primates Up Close

Singing indri, dancing sifakas and a primate that weighs about 30 grams

Madagascar's Primates Up Close

World Lemur Day falls on the last Friday of October each year, a date set aside to draw attention to a group of primates found in one place only: Madagascar. Lemurs live nowhere else in the wild, and the island’s forests hold more than 100 species, from the indri, whose call carries across the rainforest canopy, to mouse lemurs small enough to sit in the palm of a hand.

This guide covers where lemurs came from, how different species live, why so many are under threat and where to see them on a tailor-made trip to Madagascar. It is written for safari travellers who want to look beyond the Big Five, including multi-generational families and couples looking for a wildlife holiday that feels quite different from mainland Africa.

Sifaka Lemur sitting on a brach with the leaves in the background blurred.

Why Lemurs Only Live in Madagascar

A long journey across the sea and millions of years on their own
Madagascar broke away from the African mainland around 160 million years ago and from India around 88 million years ago, so by the time primates evolved the island was already cut off. Most scientists think the ancestors of today’s lemurs arrived somewhere between 50 and 60 million years ago, probably carried across the Mozambique Channel on rafts of floating vegetation. With no monkeys or apes to compete with, and few large predators, they spread into every type of forest on the island.

Lemurs belong to the strepsirrhines, the same broad branch of the primate family as the bushbabies and pottos of mainland Africa. Most have a moist nose, a keen sense of smell and a toothcomb, a row of forward-pointing lower teeth used for grooming. Over time they developed into a wide range of forms, which is why a single visit to Madagascar can include animals that feed at night on insects and tree gum alongside others that spend the day eating leaves and fruit.

More than 100 species, arranged into five families

How Many Types of Lemurs Are There?

Ring-tailed lemur

Scientists currently recognise more than 100 lemur species and subspecies, and the number has grown as genetic studies separate populations once thought to be a single species. They are grouped into five families. The Lemuridae include the ring-tailed lemur, the ruffed lemurs, the bamboo lemurs and the true lemurs, such as the crowned lemur and the black lemur. The Indriidae include the indri, the sifakas and the woolly lemurs. The Cheirogaleidae are the small, mostly nocturnal mouse and dwarf lemurs, the Lepilemuridae are the sportive lemurs, and the Daubentoniidae contain one living species, the aye-aye.

Size varies considerably. Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur, found in the dry forests of the west, weighs about 30 grams. The indri can weigh up to around 9 kilograms and has only a stub of a tail, which is unusual for a lemur. Bamboo lemurs are a different story again. They feed mainly on bamboo, and the golden bamboo lemur of Ranomafana eats young shoots that contain cyanide in quantities that would harm most animals of its size.

How lemurs communicate, feed and organise their family groups

Lemur Behaviour: Songs, Stink Fights and Female-Led Troops

Ring-tailed lemurs live in troops of up to around 30 animals, and the females are dominant. They have first access to food and choose their mates, a pattern seen in many lemur species. Males compete through what researchers call stink fights, drawing their tails across scent glands on their wrists and waving them at rivals. In the early morning, ring-tailed lemurs often sit upright with their arms spread, warming their bellies in the sun, which makes them a popular subject for photographers.

The indri is known for its song, a series of wails and howls that family groups use to mark territory and keep in contact. The call can travel for more than a kilometre through the forest at Andasibe, and hearing it at dawn is one of the reasons many travellers choose to visit the east. In the south and west, Verreaux’s sifakas cross open ground by bounding sideways on their hind legs with their arms held out for balance, a movement often described as dancing. At night, the aye-aye taps on dead wood with a long, thin middle finger, listens for grubs moving inside, then gnaws through the bark with incisors that never stop growing.

Indi, also known as Babakoto, is one of the largest living lemurs in Madagascar

98 percent of species face extinction risk, and what is being done about it

Why Lemurs Need Our Attention on World Lemur Day

According to the IUCN Red List, 98 percent of lemur species face a risk of extinction, and more than 30 percent are listed as Critically Endangered. The main pressures are forest loss from slash-and-burn farming, charcoal production and logging, together with hunting for food and the illegal pet trade. Because many species live in a limited area, the loss of a single block of forest can affect an entire population.

World Lemur Day grew out of the World Lemur Festival, started in Antananarivo in 2014 by Malagasy primatologist Professor Jonah Ratsimbazafy, and it became an international event the following year. It is a reminder that lemur conservation depends on the people who live alongside them. Lemurs disperse seeds and help forests regenerate, and those same forests supply water, food and income to rural communities. Projects that pair habitat protection with education, reforestation and community-run reserves are making progress, and tourism revenue gives a standing forest a clear value to the families around it. At Indigo Safaris we believe education and community development are central to wildlife conservation, which is the thinking behind our Giving Back programme.

Five regions and the species each one is known for

Where to See Lemurs in Madagascar

In eastern Madagascar, Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is about three hours by road from Antananarivo and is a practical first stop for hearing and seeing the indri. Guided walks here also regularly find diademed sifakas, common brown lemurs and, in the Mantadia section, black-and-white ruffed lemurs. The 4-day Andasibe Safari suits travellers with limited time or those adding lemurs to a longer Africa itinerary.

Along National Route 7, Ranomafana National Park protects montane rainforest where the golden bamboo lemur, greater bamboo lemur and Milne-Edwards’ sifaka live. Further south, the community-run Anja Reserve and the canyons of Isalo National Park are good places to watch ring-tailed lemurs, and the 12-day Classic Route N7 links all three by road.

In the south, the spiny forest and gallery forest along the Mandrare River are home to ring-tailed lemurs and Verreaux’s sifakas, with Berenty and Mandrare River Camp offering well-habituated troops and comfortable accommodation. The 10-day Sifaka & Tsingy Adventure is a fly-in itinerary that combines the south with the limestone tsingy of the west. In western Madagascar, Kirindy Forest is known for night walks to find Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur and for daytime sightings of Verreaux’s sifaka and the fossa, a cat-like carnivore that preys on lemurs. The 8-day Tsingy & Baobab Adventure includes Kirindy, the Avenue of the Baobabs and Tsingy de Bemaraha.

The north offers crowned lemurs and Sanford’s brown lemurs in Ankarana National Park and Amber Mountain, while the island of Nosy Komba, off Nosy Be, is known for its black lemurs. The 13-day Through the Wild North and 10-day Lemurs, Tsingy and Beach itineraries both finish near the coast, which suits couples who want time by the sea after several days on forest trails.

Crowned Lemur in a tree, endemic to Northern Madagascar

When to go, what to expect on foot and how to pace the trip

Planning a Lemur Safari for Families and Couples

A little forward planning goes a long way in Madagascar, as the season, the terrain and the pace of the trip all shape what you see. The points below cover the essentials for families and couples.

🐾 Best time to go

Lemurs can be seen year-round, but September to November is a rewarding time to travel, with generally dry weather and active forests.

🐾 Lemur infants

Several species give birth in the months leading up to and during this period, so infants riding on their mothers’ backs are a common sight.

🐾 Rainy season

From around December to March, heavier downpours fall, particularly on the east coast, and some roads in the west become difficult to use.

🐾 On foot

Most lemur viewing is done on foot with a local guide, often on forest trails that can be steep and muddy.

🐾 Fitness and footwear

A moderate level of fitness and sturdy walking shoes are useful.

🐾 Families

Older children usually enjoy the night walks and close encounters with habituated troops, which makes Madagascar a good fit for multi-generational families travelling with teenagers.

🐾 Couples

Many couples combine forest reserves with a fly-in stay and a few days on the islands.

🐾 Health

Madagascar is a malaria area, so seek medical advice before travel.

🐾 Wildlife etiquette

Lemurs are wild animals and should never be fed or touched.

Quick answers for travellers planning to see lemurs

A lemur is a strepsirrhine primate found in the wild only in Madagascar and the nearby Comoros islands, where two species were introduced by people. Lemurs range from mouse lemurs of around 30 grams to the indri, which can weigh around 9 kilograms.

More than 100 species and subspecies are currently recognised, grouped into five families. The total changes as new research separates populations into distinct species.

Habitat loss is the main cause, driven by slash-and-burn agriculture, charcoal production and logging. Hunting and the illegal pet trade add further pressure. The IUCN lists 98 percent of lemur species as threatened with extinction.

Andasibe-Mantadia is a good starting point for the indri, Ranomafana for bamboo lemurs, Berenty and the Mandrare River for ring-tailed lemurs and sifakas, Kirindy for mouse lemurs and Ankarana for crowned lemurs. Many itineraries combine two or three of these areas.

Lemurs can be seen throughout the year, though September to November offers dry weather, active animals and a good chance of seeing young lemurs.

World Lemur Day is held on the last Friday of October. In 2026 it falls on Friday 30 October.

Ready to Meet Madagascar’s Lemurs?

Speak to a Safari Specialist about a Madagascar itinerary built around the species you want to see
Whether you want to hear the indri at dawn, watch sifakas cross the sand in the south or look for mouse lemurs by torchlight in Kirindy, a Safari Specialist can plan a route that matches your interests, pace and travel style. Contact us for a free quote and let’s start planning your Madagascar safari.

Start Planning

Continue reading about primates, wildlife and conservation travel

If lemurs have caught your interest, Celebrate World Monkey Day with Indigo Safaris looks at the monkeys of mainland Africa, and our Uganda Safari guide covers trekking for gorillas and chimpanzees. For more on Madagascar’s other residents, Reptiles Explained: Types, Diet, Habitats and Breeding includes the island’s chameleons, while Why Going on a Wildlife Safari Is One of the Best Things You Can Do for Conservation explains how travel helps fund protection on the ground. If you would like to add time by the sea, Best Time to Visit Mauritius is a useful next read.