In a recent announcement, the IUCN revealed that 31% of all lemur species in Madagascar are now listed as critically endangered, and 98% of them are threatened in some way. An estimated 5,000 primates are being kept as pets in the UK, including marmosets, capuchins, squirrel monkeys and lemurs. As a result, its social behavior is highly abnormal and the pet lemur, … Ceballos-Mago, N., González, C.E. A few of the lemurs at Primarily Primates. Humans have been decimating lemur populations since the day we set foot on Madagascar. Corlett, R.T. (2007) The impact of hunting on the mammalian fauna … Lemur Overview. Searches of the phrase “pet lemur” on Google and YouTube also spiked in the weeks immediately after the video went viral, compared to other weeks between 2013 … Further science. During the one-hour behind-the-scenes guided zoo tour, visitors wander through an array of engaging exhibits, where they will have the chance to feed and trade smoothie recipes with wide-eye baby lemurs and cuddly kinkajous. That number “is a really, really bad sign,” says Reuter, the lead researcher on the project and one of the founders of the Lemur Conservation Network. Yes, people eat lemurs, and the reasons they do aren't exactly what we might expect. They likewise have a more diminutive cerebrum than equivalently measured simians, huge olfactory projections for scent, a vomeronasal organ to discover pheromones, and a bicornuate uterus with an epitheliochorial placenta. Most countries, including Madagascar, it’s illegal to have lemurs as pets. To get an idea of the scope of the illegal exotic pet trade, consider this: The illegal trade in wildlife is second only to that of drugs in the United States, according to the U.S. A local woman rang the Austin Zoo about a year and a half ago in search of some monkey advice. The illegal trade affects at least 30 of the 103 known lemur species, but new research reveals that one of those species—the gorgeous and iconic ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta)—represents a huge portion of the market. Supporting lemur conservation through habitat protecting and captive lemur rehabilitation The Reniala NGO aims to protect the forests of the Reniala reserve, rehabilitate lemurs from the bushmeat and pet trade at the Lemur Rescue Center, and develop alternative livelihood projects such as beekeeping. In addition to prohibitions and restrictions on exotic pet ownership, the majority of states have some sort of permit, ... leopard, monkey, lemur (exceptions apply) Non-regulated animals including porcupine, ferret, camel, llama. Viral videos of cuddly exotic animals like the ring-tailed lemur may have a dark side of an increased demand for them as pets, giving rise to illegal animal trafficking, scientists say.Researchers from Duke University in the US focused on a 2016 The Reniala NGO works to rehabilitate lemurs from the illegal pet trade in southwest Madagascar. And although habitat destruction is a major cause of lemur loss in the wild, demand for the pet trade exacerbates the problem. Lemurs For Sale. … In Madagascar, lemurs have been described as carriers of the rabies virus, but a discussion about the risk of rabies transmission to humans from lemurs, particularly in the context of in-country ownership of lemurs, has not been studied. In 2013 and 2016, we undertook a national survey in 11 of Madagascar’s 22 administrative regions (n = 28 towns) with 1,709 households. Many species have a highly specialized diet, making them difficult to care for. By Alex Taylor on 21st January 2015 in Animal Conservation Pet Trade Harming Lemur Conservation. “Some populations consist of a few dozen or even fewer.”. 1200 x 794 jpeg 111kB. Exotic Animal Forum. “For example, the government is supposed to confiscate lemurs and then place them in legal captive facilities, but these facilities simply do not have the capacity to take in thousands of lemurs.” She points to one organization, Lemur Love, that is aware of dozens of animals being kept illegally but it doesn’t have the resources to rescue them. Though only a few wild and pet lemurs in Madagascar have tested positive for rabies, post-exposure treatment is sometimes also sought out following aggressive incidents with lemurs. The fact that lemurs are called exotic pets, itself reveals that bringing them home as pets is not an easy task. The study used an online survey that collected information on pet lemur sightings, including where they were found and where possible, what species were being used as pets. Please sign the pledge today to help expose the truth behind the slow loris pet trade: http://www.ticklingistorture.orgThank you “There was this big threat to lemurs that nobody had ever collected data on,” said Kim Reuter, technical director of Conservation International in Nairobi and lead author of a new study published the American Journal of Primatology. An infant lemur destined to become a pet is taken away from its mother on the day of its birth and reared in isolation from other lemurs. Many American states have made it illegal (or at least incredibly difficult) to own lemurs. More and more lemur habitat is cut down, as farming and urbanization of Madagascar continue.The human population of Madagascar, while increasing, is very impoverished. Earlier this year American researchers estimated that home and business owners had taken 28,000 lemurs in the previous three years. Illegal logging and timber trade (e.g. The pet trade is just one of the many threats facing lemurs. Welch noted that for wild lemurs, deforestation and habitat destruction — mostly as a result of slash-and-burn agriculture — are bigger threats than the pet trade. In recent years conservationists have focused primarily on deforestation and hunting. Lemurs are commonly taken from the wild for sale in the pet trade, causing populations to decrease. Many American states have made it illegal (or at least incredibly difficult) to own lemurs. “There are owners who are taking the time to provide a good environment for their pet lemurs,” she says. - 'Substantial declines' - Gift Shop & Pet Supplies. Deforestation may be the greatest threat to to this animal’s survival. This impacts the illegal pet trade of lemurs in Madagascar, because local people see posts online of pet lemurs and then want one of their own. In Madagascar, lemurs are kept as illegal pets and an understanding of lemur pet ownership at the national level is lacking. Residents of Madagascar have stolen 28,000 lemurs from the wild in the past three years. One of the biggest threats endangering lemurs is the high demand for them in the pet trade. Lemurs do not make good pets for the average person. “All pet lemurs outside Madagascar are descendants of animals imported from the 1960s to 1980s,” LaFleur adds. Endangered Species Research, 12, 57 – 68. Some restaurant owners keep a tank of exotic fish to attract and entertain their customers. An estimated 28,000 lemurs have been illegally kept as pets … “People didn’t even acknowledge this was a problem until last year.”, Common brown lemur with a dog. Explore our digital archive back to 1845, including articles by more than 150 Nobel Prize winners. - 'Substantial declines' - “There are lots of lemurs in illegal captivity but there isn't much capacity to deal with the situation,” she says. The main threat to the Blue-eyed black lemur comes from deforestation, especially slash and burn agriculture throughout its entire range. ©Pet Lemur Survey. Lemurs, Madagascar's "treasure", are among the many precious species unique to the Indian Ocean island. The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) oversees the global exotic pet trade, while the USDA issues permits for some exotic species. It’s also illegal to export lemurs for the global pet trade. 1024 x 1026 jpeg 126kB. At a website called www.exoticanimalsforsale.net, capuchins are listed at $14,500; a squirrel monkey is listed at $8,900 and lemurs for $6,900. ), wildlife trafficking (e.g. In Madagascar, almost one third of all lemur species are kept as illegal pets, with the most popular being ring-tailed, common brown, and crowned lemurs. Lemur Love conducts scientific research and partners with Malagasy women to build capacity and promote conservation. REVERSING AMERICA’S WILDLIFE CRISIS REPORT, Numbers matter in bighorn sheep translocation, Wombats and other Australian mammals glow in UV light, Year in Review: Pandemic redefines the profession, Effort tracks bighorn, disease on Navajo Nation lands, Watch: Diving lizard creates its own oxygen pockets, USFWS considers allowing development in rare lizard habitat. Unfortunately, their numbers are in decline because of habitat loss, hunting, and the pet trade. The driving factors behind their decline include poaching for the bushmeat trade, a lack of conservation programmes and habitat destruction due to illegal logging, which is on the rise thanks to political instability and rising poverty. Matiz - Brown Lemur Male DOB: 5/6/20 Price: $3,500. Sold . His "Extinction Countdown" column has run continuously since 2004 and has covered news and science related to more than 1,000 endangered species. She hopes that her findings can help the government of Madagascar create guidelines for better lemur care and maintenance. Primates are extracted from the wild for the pet trade across the world. Madagascar pet trade threatens lemur populations | THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY. ... text or call me at 210-241-1856 to discuss your preparedness and to see if a Lemur is right for you. “A lot of lemurs are kept by households because they’re cute,” Reuter said, adding that many hotels and restaurants who draw profits from tourism also like to keep pet lemurs due to the photo opportunities it presents for visitors. However, when there is a demand, it happens anyway. Over the past 40 years, logging, slash-and-burn agriculture, and charcoal production have reduced … Those who qualify for exemption to own a regulated animal must have registered the animal by 3/2/2005. Overall, getting and taking care of a lemur calls for a lot of effort, love, attention, and money. It is not a detailed care, enclosure building, health, and regulations guide though. & Chivers, D.J. It’s also illegal to export lemurs for the global pet trade. Lemur Care . Supporting lemur conservation through habitat protecting and captive lemur rehabilitation. Primates are extracted from the wild for the pet trade across the world. However, when there is a demand, it happens anyway. Crowned lemurs. For years now conservationists have warned that many of Madagascar’s iconic lemur species face the risk of extinction due to rampant deforestation, the illegal pet trade and the emerging market for the primates’ meat. Brown lemurs are a well-studied species of lemur, found along the west-central coast of Madagascar. There is no evidence that the lemurs captured in Madagascar are exported for the international pet trade. Their interviews and extrapolated data predicted that around 28,000 lemurs were taken into captivity between 2010 and mid-2013. Even though most pet lemurs that are sold in the U.S. are bred in the U.S., this does not make the issue any less serious. Subscribers get more award-winning coverage of advances in science & technology. More than 40 percent of Madagascar's original forest cover was lost between the 1950s and 2000. They require lots of safe exercising space, and can be quite destructive in a house. The illegal pet trade in Madagascar adds to threats lemurs face like habitat loss and climate change, according to a new study. (2010) Impact of the pet trade on the Margarita capuchin monkey Cebus apella margaritae. One 2016 study found — perhaps not surprisingly — that Madagascar’s extreme poverty … The pet trade is just one of the many threats facing lemurs. Dodo, Journal of The Wildlife Preservation Trusts, 33, 36 – 44. This sibling trio of lemurs arrived to Back to Nature in April 2008. of rosewood, Dalbergia spp. John lives on the outskirts of Portland, Ore., where he finds himself surrounded by animals and cartoonists. Clark, M. (1997) The mongoose lemur Eulemur mongoz on Anjouan, Comores. An award-winning environmental journalist, his work has appeared in Scientific American, Audubon, Motherboard, and numerous other magazines and publications. Despite reproducing readily in captivity and being the most populous lemur in zoos worldwide, numbering more than 2,000 individuals, the ring-tailed lemur is listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List due to habitat destruction and hunting for bushmeat and the exotic pet trade. Some lemur species are so endangered in the country that some people have suggested that the pet trade may be a way to sustain their numbers. Due to slash-and-burn agriculture and deforestation, lemur populations are now forced into highly fragmented patches of ever-shrinking forest (Madagascar has lost more than half of its forests in the last 60 years). The pet trade is just one of the many threats facing lemurs. Tag Archives | pet trade. Primates are extracted from the wild for the pet trade across the world. Further evidence on the scale of the primate pet trade would be welcomed. “There was this big threat to lemurs that nobody had ever collected data on,” said Kim Reuter, technical director of Conservation International in Nairobi and lead author of a new study published the … John R. Platt is the editor of The Revelator. This is a great book to figure out if pet lemurs are good for you. Much has been written about the serious, negative impact of the pet trade on the conservation of lemurs throughout Madagascar. Illegal pet trade could hasten the extinction of some species of the Earth's most endangered group of mammals, lemurs. One of the biggest threats endangering lemurs is the high demand for them in the pet trade. According to data presented this week at the International Congress for Conservation Biology an astonishing 28 percent of the animals spotted were ring-tailed lemurs. "Lemurs are threatened by a number of things, including hunters and being bought and sold in the pet trade," Steffens says. Reuter says not all owners mistreat their lemurs. This, coupled with bushmeat hunting and the illegal pet trade, makes lemurs one of the most at-risk animal families on the planet. petponder.com. But the impoverished country is struggling to combat deforestation, poaching for food and the illegal pet trade. To learn more about lemurs, join The Wildlife Society’s field trip at the 2016 TWS conference in Raleigh, N.C. to the Duke Lemur Center, where you’ll have the chance to see nearly 250 lemurs from 21 different species. Reuter said that not all illegal owners treated the animals badly, according to their findings, but most of the lemurs weren’t kept in good condition — being kept in small cages, on tight leashes that caused skin lesions or fed an improper diet. Although illegal to keep as pets in Madagascar, thousands of lemurs have been illegally removed from their wild habitats and kept in-country as household pets or as tourist attractions at Malagasy hotels and restaurants. Lemurs can be symbolically adopted for a $50 donation on the Lemur Love website. Help make the Louisiana Lemur Center a reality! January 4, 2021 — Anne C. Mulkern and E&E News, January 4, 2021 — Mark Fischetti and Jen Christiansen, January 4, 2021 — Virginius Xaxa | Opinion. Blog. Research shows that sharing lemur selfies makes people more likely to want one as a pet. They touch on all those aspects, but do not go deeper into the subjects. The illegal trade of lemurs as pets is a problem which has surfaced within the past year, and has major implications on the conservation of lemur species throughout Madagascar (Reuter et al., 2016). Illegal pet trade could hasten the extinction of some species of the Earth's most endangered group of mammals, lemurs. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says that the primary threats to ring-tailed lemurs in Madagascar are habitat loss and hunting, but also the "illegal in-country pet trade." Protect lemurs. And although habitat destruction is a major cause of lemur loss in the wild, demand for the pet trade exacerbates the problem. The lemurs are also usually kept on ropes or in small cages, leading to abnormal behavior such as repetitive pacing. In Madagascar, lemurs are kept as illegal pets and an understanding of lemur pet ownership at the national level is lacking. “I would estimate that most owners are not purposefully keeping lemurs in bad conditions. Lemur Love believes in leveraging both the heart and the mind in the movement to preserve Madagascar’s unique and Endangered primates, the lemurs… For the past several months Kim Reuter at Temple University and Melissa Schaefer at the University of Utah have been collecting photographs from tourists who encountered lemurs in homes, restaurants, resorts and hotels. Then you can put the baby on hold by placing a $500 non-refundable deposit. Lisa Gould of the University of Victoria, one of the world’s preeminent ring-tailed lemur researchers, says deforestation and the bushmeat trade have been particularly hard on the species. But the impoverished country is struggling to combat deforestation, poaching for food and the illegal pet trade. This, coupled with bushmeat hunting and the illegal pet trade, makes lemurs one of the most at-risk animal families on the planet. Lemurs' internet fame may fuel illegal pet trade PTI | Washington DC | Updated: 29-01-2019 15:07 IST | Created: 29-01-2019 15:07 IST. Reuter says it’s time to add the pet trade to that list. Scientific American is part of Springer Nature, which owns or has commercial relations with thousands of scientific publications (many of them can be found at, Devil Tree Threatens the World's Rarest Zebras, 28 percent of the animals spotted were ring-tailed lemurs, Crisis in Madagascar: 90 Percent of Lemur Species Are Threatened with Extinction, Gorgeous Blue-Eyed Lemur Faces Extinction in 11 Years, Look Out Lemurs: Climate Change Is Taking Your Land, Diminutive, but Not Disappeared: Rare Dwarf Lemur Rediscovered 100 Years after Last Sighting, Pesticides Are Killing Off the Andean Condor, 32 Orchid Species Feared Extinct in Bangladesh. Print. More than 40 percent of Madagascar's original forest cover was lost between the 1950s and 2000. Things No One Will Tell You About Keeping Lemurs as Pets - Pet Ponder. Pet Trade Harming Lemur Conservation The driving factors behind their decline include poaching for the bushmeat trade, a lack of conservation programmes and habitat destruction due to illegal logging, which is on the rise thanks to political instability and rising poverty. Sold . Further evidence on the scale of the primate pet trade would be welcomed. It is unclear whether owners keep pet primates for the duration of their lives. For years now conservationists have warned that many of Madagascar's iconic lemur species face the risk of extinction due to rampant deforestation, the illegal pet trade and the emerging market for the primates' meat. By Alex Taylor on 21st January 2015 in Animal Conservation. Keep in mind that when this trade is conducted outside of the law, it’s known as wildlife smuggling (involving billions of dollars each year). Here in California, a ring-tailed lemur thought to have been part of the exotic pet trade was found wandering through a San Joaquin Valley backyard a few years ago. Private ownership of lemurs is against the law in Madagascar—the only island where the primates are found—but that doesn’t stop people from snatching the animals from the wild and turning them into pets. Lemurs belong in the wild The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) oversees the global exotic pet trade, while the USDA issues permits for some exotic species. today.duke.edu . That’s why the Duke Lemur Center’s conservation efforts focus on working with communities in Madagascar on reforestation efforts and promoting sustainable farming methods. So far their Pet Lemur survey has amassed sightings of 685 pet lemurs. In Madagascar, lemurs are kept as illegal pets and an understanding of lemur pet ownership at the national level is lacking. Discover world-changing science. Read more about Lemurs' internet fame may fuel illegal pet trade on Business Standard. It’s not only expensive, but also involves seeking a license, finding a breeder, locating a local veterinarian who is qualified to treat exotic animals, etc. An estimated 28,000 lemurs have been illegally kept as pets … Their mother was a victim of the wildlife pet trade and these 3 are the result of captive breeding. “Lemur Love has a hard time competing with larger organizations for funding partly because the pet trade is still viewed as a problem that is not as important as other threats facing lemurs.” If the new research is any indication, then that blind eye toward the pet trade could be a black eye in lemur protection. They’re often provided with foods that don’t match their natural diets and they’re often housed alone—not an ideal situation for a very social species. Lemur Love, for which Clarke and Gould sit on the board of directors, started the first and only Lemur Rescue Centre in order to retrieve and rehabilitate ring-tailed lemurs captured into the illegal pet trade. It is especially disturbing because there are no estimates for the wild population of ring-tailed lemurs, although all indications show that they are on the decline. bestlifeonline.com. Contact Us. 20 Craziest Pets People Actually Own | Best Life. Viral videos of cuddly exotic animals like the ring-tailed lemur may have a dark side of an increased demand for them as pets, giving rise to illegal animal trafficking, scientists say. It is also hunted as a food source, for the pet trade and because it raids crops. “In addition, we need to begin working with the tourism industry in Madagascar to ensure that high-end resorts stop using lemurs as attractions to guests. That’s why the Duke Lemur Center’s conservation efforts focus on working with communities in Madagascar on reforestation efforts and promoting sustainable farming methods. Lisa Gould of the University of Victoria, one of the world’s preeminent ring-tailed lemur researchers, says deforestation and the bushmeat trade have been particularly hard on the species. As part of a forthcoming study in Folia Primatologica, Reuter and a coauthor also examined the conditions of pet lemurs. (Which is what I was expecting.) “More outreach, regulation and enforcement is needed to ensure the illegal pet trade is curbed,” Reuter said in a release. But the impoverished country is struggling to combat deforestation, poaching for food and the illegal pet trade. , Reuter and a few photos, poaching for food and the other settings are on. Love website original forest cover was lost between the 1950s and 2000 pets is not a detailed,. 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