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Red-tailed sportive lemur at night, Kirindy Reserve, Madagascar
This nocturnal lemur is common to see both at night and during the day in Kirindy. It is endemic to a small part of western Madagascar where it is listed as vulnerable and further decreasing due to habitat loss. It is largely a plant and fruit eater, and not a very active lemur.
The name "sportive" is used to refer to the general agility of a group of lemurs (family lepilemuridae), an alternative and perhaps more fitting name that is also used is "weasel lemur":
https://www.jungledragon.com/wildlife/browse/animalia/chordata/mammalia/primates/lepilemuridae
There are currently 26 sportive lemurs known, most are very locally endemic. Here's an example of a species restricted to a single national park:
The red-tailed sportive lemur, or red-tailed weasel lemur, is native to Madagascar like all lemurs. It is a nocturnal species feeding largely on leaves, though they also eat some fruit. Individuals weigh around 800 grams, and there is little sexual dimorphism. In general they live in mated pairs, with a home range of about 10,000 square metres. Both members of the pair use the same home range, and there is little overlap between the home ranges of neighbouring pairs. Travel distances each night.. more
comments (6)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_of_lemurs#Diversification
...it's a combination of Madagascar going through different climates as it moved away from India, increased selection pressure when the first predators arrived, and finally...people fragmenting their habitat. Posted 6 years ago