LEMUR : Lemurs are really cute animals that live on the island of Madagascar    right off the east coast of Africa.

They are primates, which means that they have a lot in common with monkeys and apes. There are many different types of lemurs in all different sizes and colors. Some of the smallest are mouse lemurs. This is a Greater Mouse Lemur or Dwarf Lemur. He's a little guy, but he's not the smallest. Recently, during a study of the animals of Madagascar, scientists discovered three new species of mouse lemur, each weighing an once (30 grams) or less! This is Paul's buddy Monomer. Not only is he smaller than Paul, he also looks a lot like a mouse. He only weighs about half a pound or 300 grams, and His body is about 7 inches or 20 centimeters long.





This is a ringtailed lemur like Paul. Some people think that these lemurs look like cats. They are pretty cute and cuddly and they like to sit in the sun.



This guy is a blue-eyed lemur. It seems that most species of lemurs have gold or brown eyes, but the bright blue-gray eyes of this lemur really make him stand out. There are also some white lemurs which also have blue eyes.









This one is similar in color to the blue-eyed lemur, but with darker markings. He is called the red ruffed lemur because of his color and the "ruffles" of hair under his chin and the big white one on his head. Quite an ornament to wear all the time! There are several species of lemurs that have this decoration.









Finally this is a black and white ruffed lemur. He's got a big white ruffle under his chin that makes him look a little like William Shakespeare, don't you think? He also has black and white markings all over - the lemur, not Shakespeare.

These are only a few of the lemurs you will find in Madagascar. Some of them are pretty large, and others are the size of a small rodent. Many of them are endangered due to forests being chopped down for farmland. But there are many families of lemurs living in captivity. And we are glad to have Paul living with us in Polydelphia.