are lemurs endangered
View Images. In Madagascar, endangered lemurs are plucked illegally from the wild to serve as pets in hotels. Like hotels everywhere, those in the African nation of Madagascar tout their elegant rooms, lavish buffets, and sparkling swimming pools. But Madagascar’s resorts also lure guests with a furry amenity: lemurs. The assessment, conducted by the Primate Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), concludes that 23 lemurs qualify as Critically Endangered - the highest class of threat. Fifty-two are in the Endangered classification, and a further 19 Vulnerable to extinction. “The main threats to lemurs are the same – mainly habitat destruction,” he says. “Madagascar has lost at least 80% of its original forest cover since human arrival.”. “It’s mainly slash and burn agriculture in Madagascar... which means chopping down a bit of forest, burning the trees, planting rice on the fertile soil. Nearly all species of lemur are endangered (according to the IUCN) due to habitat loss and hunting. Even the species that are listed as Least Concern are threatened with hab…itat loss, which is causing their populations to decline. Resorts in Madagascar offer up lemurs—some critically endangered—for selfies and entertainment. In Madagascar, endangered lemurs are plucked illegally from the wild to serve as pets in hotels. Like hotels everywhere, those in the African nation of Madagascar tout their elegant rooms, lavish buffets, and sparkling swimming pools. But Madagascar’s resorts also lure guests with a furry amenity: lemurs. A Critically Endangered listing can mean the population numbers less than 50 mature adults or that it has shrunk by 80% over 10 years, for example. The previous lemur assessment, published in 2008, put eight species in the Critically Endangered class. Eighteen were Endangered, and 14 Vulnerable. But they are thought to be the most threatened mammal group on Earth. Of the 101 lemur species, 22 are critically endangered, 48 are endangered and 20 are vulnerable, according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species. A group of specialists is in Madagascar - the only place where lemurs are found in the wild - to systematically assess the animals and decide where they sit on the Red List of Threatened Species. More than 90% of the 103 species should be on the Red List, they say. Quick Answer. Lemurs are endangered because of the destruction of their habitat in the tropical forest. Another cause is accelerated logging caused by increased poverty as a result of political turmoil in the regions where the lemur lives. Hunting also poses a risk to the lemur population. Lemurs are endangered primarily because of habitat loss, but also due to hunting. 26 people found this useful.
Yes,Lemurs are Critically Endangered.