About This Project

A female's body may have different needs throughout the reproductive cycle. However, we do not know how these needs change over the reproduction cycle for female black-and-white ruffed lemurs living in the rainforests of Madagascar. We will investigate potential changes in the diet, feeding, foraging behavior, nutrition and daily activity of this lemur before, during and after pregnancy and birth. This knowledge will help us to protect the resources that allow them to survive in the long term.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

We have been monitoring various ecological aspects of communities of black-and-white ruffed lemurs in Ihofa rainforest since 2021, including some aspects of their reproduction such as mating, building nests and birth.

Pregnancy can lead to critical changes in pregnant females, including in nutritional needs, behavior and activity (Touitou, 2021). But there is a lack of knowledge about such potential changes in lemurs in the wild. Such knowledge can provide insights into understanding lemur reproductive ecology and tools to plan a conservation action that ensure resource availability during such delicate periods.

We aim to investigate the potential changes in the nutrition of female black-and-white ruffed lemurs before mating, during pregnancy, and after giving birth.

What is the significance of this project?

Black-and-white ruffed lemurs are endemic to the island of Madagascar and provide vital ecosystem services. Unfortunately, they are threatened with extinction due partly to habitat loss. Efforts undertaken for the continued survival of the species include restoring their critical habitats. Knowledge about the nutrient requirements and behavior of the female lemurs at various stages of their reproductive cycle can help in such endeavor. The findings of this project will allow us to identify their specific needs of these individuals in terms of diet, which can be used into determining the plant species to prioritize when restoring their habitats.

What are the goals of the project?

We will analyze the nutritional content of the food consumed by the females of black-and-white ruffed lemurs in the laboratory. We will quantify their daily nutrient intakes and associated energy gained across the reproduction timeline. This data will allow us to assess how dietary intake aligns with the changing physiological demands of reproduction. Data related on feeding and foraging behavior and daily activity have already been collected during the daily observations of the animals. We will compare the data prior to mating, during pregnancy, and after birth.