Ringtailed lemurs live in groups known as Troops and these Troops can hold up to 30 or so individuals. As they walk along the ground, they hold their tails in the air in an S-shape, so they can keep in contact with each other at all times. These tails give them their names and are very distinctive, each one having 26 stripes - 13 white and 13 black.

The tails also serve other purposes, they are useful in balance, can be wrapped around the neck in times of cold weather and are also used when one Troop comes upon a rival Troop. When this happens, the males rub their wrists along their tails, using special scent glands to scent their tail. They then wave the tails at the intruders, in what is scientifically known as a "stink fight". The smelliest Troop is victiorious and the others must make a hasty retreat!

Generally ringtailed lemurs only have one kit at a time, although two are not unknown. When the baby is newly born, mother carries it around in her mouth until it is big enough to cling to her belly. Lemur kits are great little fellow, I have had the pleasure of watching Isalo as a baby (one of Orana Park's lemurs) and it was almost as if her legs were springloaded! She bounced around her mother and "aunt" like crazy! Because Troops are quite large, the kits are not often short of playmates!

The natives call the Ringtailed Lemur "Maki" and consider it to be the spirits of the dead returned to the world to worship the sun. This can truly be understood when one sees a group of lemurs exposing their white underbellies to the sun, looking relaxed and content with the world.

Recommended Viewing
Ringtailed Lemurs can be seen in these programs:
Fierce Creatures staring John Cleese and the "Fish from Wanda" crew
A Lemur's Tail A documentary by National Geographic I believe, following a Troop of Ringtails with an albino youngster.