Although female dominance is rare in most species, matriarchy is the norm for most lemur species, like the Coquerel's sifaka, according to an article in the June 2015 print issue of National Geographic.
Female get first dibs on food and resting places. "We've seen females take food out of males' mouths," said Chris Smith of the Duke Lemur Center. "And if he's in a sunny spot she wants, she can just move toward him, and he'll make a submissive cackle and get out of the way."
The female lemurs aren't just intimidating... they are outright bullies. If a male displeases a female, she will push him, slap him or rip his fur out. There is a brief time when the males get a little reward - mating season. Female lemurs "are little hussies," Duke University lemur researcher Lydia Greene told National Geographic. "They completely control which mates they want and how many"
Despite the females' willingness to mate, lemurs are the most endangered mammal on Earth, according to National Geographic. Lemurs have lost 90 percent of their natural habitat in their native Madagascar, mostly due to slash-and-burn agriculture. There are 103 lemur species and subspecies remaining - 20 are listed as vulnerable, 49 are endangered and 24 are critically endangered.
If you're in the Durham, N.C. area on June 20, you could stop by Duke Lemur Center's "Lemurpalooza." You could enjoy a picnic, meet the center's furry stars and perhaps "adopt" a lemur to help the center continue its work with the world's oldest - and most endangered - primate.
