The Mysterious World of Lemurs

Author: Liu Shuoliang, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: Lemurs are truly animals that have survived from prehistoric times. Nearly 40 million years ago, lemurs found refuge in Madagascar. As the common ancestor of humans and monkeys, this primate belongs to the suborder Lemuriformes. In the history of animal evolution, the suborder Lemuriformes is likely a link between the infraorder Insectivora and the infraorder Simiiformes. During the Eocene epoch, they almost ruled all subtropical forests, but then nearly disappeared from the Earth, as nine-tenths of modern lemur species live on the large island (also known as Madagascar), and their traces cannot be found anywhere else. Having been cut off from the rest of the world, lemurs relied on all available forest resources in Madagascar to thrive and diversify. Today, there are about 30 species and 40 subspecies of lemurs. Some have dog-like faces and cat-like behaviors; some are as small as mice, while others are the size of children. Each species is unique, both fascinating and peculiar. This book takes readers into a rare and unseen world, into a secret realm of play, affection, and competition, through 160 intimate and natural photographs. In those magical moments, lemurs become dancers and acrobats performing difficult stunts. Seeing these records of light and shadow, readers will surely be filled with excitement. So, let’s join us in learning about lemurs. The lemur archive at the end of the book reveals the mystery of lemur origins, provides information on lemur behavior, and summarizes the grim situation of the forests in Madagascar through charts. Unfortunately, lemurs are ranked on the list of endangered animals in the world.