Common brown lemur

Scientific name:

Eulemur fulvus

Threat level:

Near threatened

Authority:

É. Geoffroy, 1796

Common names:

• Brown lemur (English)
• Brown lemur (English)
• Lémur brun (French)

Taxonomy synonyms:

Version:

3.1

Year assessed:

2008

Assessor(s):

Andrainarivo, C., Andriaholinirina, V.N., Feistner, A., Felix, T., Ganzhorn, J., Garbutt, N., Golden, C., Konstant, B., Louis Jr., E., Meyers, D., Mittermeier, R.A., Perieras, A., Princee, F., Rabarivola, J.C., Rakotosamimanana, B., Rasamimanana, H., Ratsimbazafy, J., Raveloarinoro, G., Razafimanantsoa, A., Rumpler, Y., Schwitzer, C., Thalmann, U., Wilmé, L. & Wright, P.

Evaluator(s):

Mittermeier, R.A. & Rylands, A.B. (Primate Red List Authority)

Justification:

Listed as Near Threatened as the species is thought to have undergone a reduction of 20-25% over the past 24 years (assuming a generation length of 8 years) due primarily to a decline in area and quality of habitat within the known range of the species and due to known levels of exploitation. Almost qualifies as threatened under criterion A2cd.

Geographic ranges:

• Madagascar (Native)
• Comoros (Introduced)
• Mayotte (Introduced)

Population:

Population densities range from 40-60 individuals/km² (Mittermeier et al. 2008).

Population trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and ecology:

Occurs in the tropical/subtropical dry forest in the west, and tropical moist lowland and montane forest in the east. Groups vary in size from 3-12 (larger on Mayotte) and home ranges on Madagascar vary from approximately seven to 20 ha (Mittermeier et al. 2008).

Ecosystems

• Terrestrial

List of habitats:

• Forest
• Subtropical/Tropical Dry
• Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland
• Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane

Major threats:

Forest destruction, due primarily to slash-and-burn practices, charcoal production and illegal logging, is the principal threat, but hunting is increasingly becoming a significant threat (including with blowpipes, firearms, bow-and-arrows and traps) and sometimes entire groups are captured.

List of threats:

• Agriculture & aquaculture
• Annual & perennial non-timber crops
• Shifting agriculture
• Biological resource use
• Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals
• Intentional use (species is the target)
• Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded
• Natural system modifications
• Fire & fire suppression
• Trend Unknown/Unrecorded

Conservation actions:

This species is listed on Appendix I of CITES. This species is reported to occur in four national parks (Ankarafantsika, Mantadia, Andringitra, and Zahamena), two strict nature reserves (Tsaratanana and Zahamena), and seven special reserves (Ambatovaky, Ambohitantely, Analamazaotra, Bora, Mangerivola, Manongarivo, and Tampoketsa-Analamaitso) (Mittermeier et al. 2008)). There is a relatively large worldwide captive population.

List of conservation actions:

• Land/water management
• Site/area management
• Species management
• Species management
• Harvest management