Ring-tailed lemur

Africa·Mammal

Named for the alternating black and white bands on their tails, these small primates are only found on the island of Madagascar. They use their distinctive tails to remain visible to their troop by raising them straight up as they move through their habitat. Unlike most tailed primates, they spend the majority of their time on the ground rather than up in the trees. Ring-tailed lemurs are also among the most social primates with over 15 different vocalizations they use to communicate with one another. They even have a distinction between the vocal signals that warn whether a predator is flying overhead or approaching on the ground.