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Madagascar! opened on June 20, 2008.
World Lemur Day
World Lemur Day celebrates lemurs and spreads the word about the need to conserve them; it inspires a love for them and actions to save them from extinction. It also celebrates Madagascar, the island nation located 250 miles off the east coast of Africa that lemurs call home. Events are held around the world on the day, in person and virtually. World Lemur Day takes place on the last Friday of October, and the World Lemur Festival takes place during the weeks surrounding it.
Madagascar is rich in biodiversity, and much of its flora and fauna can be found nowhere else in the world, as is the case with lemurs. Scientists believe that lemurs may have gotten their start on Africa's mainland before arriving; they think lemurs floated to the island on vegetation, and then evolved and diversified over millions of years. Madagascar was a favorable environment for them because the landscape was habitable, there were varied food sources, and there weren't any large predators.
Today there are over 100 species of lemurs. By one count there are 112, but the number changes when new ones are identified through discoveries and genetic testing. Subfossils indicate there once were more and that some became extinct, possibly from being hunted by humans after humans arrived on the island. The 2020 update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species indicated that almost all lemur species were threatened with extinction and that almost a third were critically endangered.
The smallest lemur is the Madame's Berthe mouse lemur, weighing in at 30 grams, and the largest is the indri, which may weigh up to 9.5 kilograms. Subfossils indicate that some lemurs were once as large as gorillas. Some other lemurs are the ring-tailed lemur, dancing sifaka, and aye-aye. Lemurs have unique traits in common. They have a heightened sense of smell because of their long snouts and wet noses and have improved night vision because of their tapetum lucidum, an extra layer of tissue behind their retina. All lemurs except aye-ayes have incisors and canines that lean forward instead of upward, called toothcombs, which are used for grooming, as well as to eat seeds and bark.
The forests of Madagascar benefit from lemurs, who help them grow by pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. Lemurs eat fruit but don't digest the seeds, and leave the seeds around the forest in their droppings. They also may get seeds and pollen stuck in their fur while looking for fruits and nectar, and may pass them onto other flowers.
To protect lemurs, the challenges and threats they face must be known. They face habitat change and loss, climate change, invasive species, and poaching. The forests of Madagascar are decreasing in size, changing the habitats of lemurs. This negatively impacts individual lemurs and the species as a whole. Madagascar is one of the top countries affected by climate change caused by humans. Droughts in the south and yearly monsoons in the north have become more prevalent in the twenty-first century, affecting all life on the island, including lemurs. Being that Madagascar developed in isolation when non-native species enter the ecosystem, they can threaten those that live there. Lemurs are also hunted for the pet trade, for food, and for cultural reasons.
A "fady" is a taboo of the Malagasy people, those who reside in Madagascar. For some, hunting, killing, or eating the indri is fady, since legend says that the spirits of ancestors live on within them. The aye-aye is associated with evil, and legend says that bad things may happen to those who see one. They are often killed because of this.
Lemurs benefit from ecotourism. Those visiting Madagascar bring money to the local economy, and, in turn, the Malagasy see the benefit of having the lemurs around—tourism wouldn't thrive without them. As the economy grows, the lemurs benefit. Conservation work in Madagascar is complex and supports wildlife, habitats, and people. Building relationships with and working with the Malagasy is crucial. Establishing and maintaining protected areas, reforestation efforts, dealing with invasive species, captive breeding at zoos, and reintroducing and relocating species are all part of conservation efforts. These efforts are given a boost today with World Lemur Day!
How to Observe World Lemur Day
World Lemur Day is celebrated individually, but also by zoos and other organizations. Some ideas for participation include:
Post on social media with the hashtag #WorldLemurDay and tag the Lemur Conservation Network. They can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Focus your posts on the urgency of lemur conservation and how everyone can help make a difference and save lemurs from extinction by working together. Use the social media guide to help you craft your posts.
Utilize the Lemur Conservation Network's participation guide for ideas on how individuals, member organizations, zoos, educators, and libraries can participate. For individuals, they suggest holding a fundraiser for a Lemur Conservation Network's member organization; sharing photos of lemurs seen at zoos or during travel to Madagascar, along with information about them, what is loved about them, and memories of the trip; creating and sharing information graphics about lemurs; holding a community event, such as a lemur-themed happy hour, film screening, or costume party; visiting a school to teach kids about lemurs; or walking around in a lemur costume.
Plan your own event. Consider collaborating with a Lemur Conservation Network member organization to create one. Send details about your activity or event to the Lemur Conservation Network for them to add to their event calendar, and check the calendar for other events to attend.
Join the Lemur Conservation Network.
Volunteer with the Lemur Conservation Network or with an organization in Madagascar that protects lemurs.
Read a book about Madagascar.
Listen to a podcast about lemurs or Madagascar.
If you are a teacher, you could use the Lemur Conservation Network's teaching resources for your classroom.
Check out the Lemur Conservation Network's "Professional Resources for Research and Conservation."
Check for other ideas on the Lemur Conservation Network's "How to Help" page.
The Lemur Conservation Network suggests contacting them to learn more about participating in the day.
Source
International Bat Night
Find the nearest bat habitat and see if you can spot some of these eco-system-sustaining, adorable, awe-inspiring flying critters on International Bat Night.
Bats have many places in literature and history, and serve roles both dark and hilarious depending on where you find them. Probably the most common association with the bat is with vampires, but there is also the fun-loving bat from Ferngully (Batty Coda) along with a host of other characters from literature and cinema. But bats have an important role to play in our eco-system, and some of them are becoming endangered. International Bat Night serves to raise awareness from our flying rodent friends and why they deserve to be protected.
Learn about International Bat Night
International Bat Night is a date that takes place every year to celebrate these creatures, with a number of different bat events taking place around the world for the public to get involved with. These events give you the opportunity to help bat conservation and to learn more about these creatures. There are talks at dusk and fun bat walks; it is definitely the sort of activity you should experience at least once, as it will give you a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with these incredible animals and to learn more about them.
Incredible facts about bats
When we say that bats are incredible creatures, we do not expect you to simply take our word for it. After all, bats are the only mammals that can fly. They also use echolocation in order to get around during the night. As you probably know, bats do most of their living when it is dark and they cannot see very well. Because of this, they need to depend on other navigational skills, instead of sight. They send out beeps, listening for variations in the echoes that bounce back in order to understand where they are and to get around effectively.
Bats have gotten a bit of a bad reputation over the years. However, most of this is unjustified. A lot of people think that bats, especially those in North America, go around infecting people with rabies and a whole host of other toxins and diseases. This is something that has merely become a rumor because of the television and movies. In fact, bats avoid people, and only 10 people in the last 50 years have contracted rabies from North American bats. If you are one of the incredibly unlucky ones to get bitten by a bat, make sure you go to see your doctor as soon as possible, but don’t panic, bats really aren’t as scary as it is made out in the films! Vampire bats also don’t suck blood, contrary to popular belief. Okay, they do lap it up, but calm down! There are actually only three species of vampire bats across the globe.
History of International Bat Night
International Bat Night was established to help promote the good image of bats, and to help start creating some clarity on the facts about them above and beyond the rumors and Hollywood image. While we often think of bats as nocturnal predators feasting on the blood of the innocent and harboring rabies, the truth is quite different. Yes, there are bats that feed on blood, but they mostly feed on insects and believe us, you want bats to be out there patrolling the night and helping eliminate them.
Bats are one of the major contributors to keeping down obnoxious night insects like mosquitoes, and if you’re a camper, you know how unpleasant mosquitoes can make an otherwise pleasant camping expedition. There are also bats that feed on nectar and fruit, and actually help to pollinate and spread the seed of plants, in many cases they’re the only ones working to help those plants procreate!
These are just the beginnings of the wonders that bats possess, and there is far more just a flicker away, and International Bat Night is a great time to spend learning about them!
How to celebrate International Bat Night
One of the best ways to spend International Bat Night is by enjoying the quiet of night and watching the skies in your nearest bat habitat. Maybe it’s a night out in the woods, or just sitting on your front porch if you’re fortunate enough!
If you’re feeling both generous and adventurous, you can head out to one of your local Bat Conservatories and celebrate the night with them while making a contribution to their work. Really love bats? Volunteer with these conservatories and help keep our flying rodent friends around!
We also recommend spending a bit of time online, reading up about bats, and finding out more about these incredible creatures. Of course, we have given you some information, but there is so much else to learn. You can also help to spread awareness by sharing some of the information you find with your friends and family members on social media.
Another way to celebrate International Bat Night is by watching a Batman movie. You also have the Batman and Batwomen TV series as well. If you are a fan of superhero movies, this is definitely one of the best ways to celebrate this date. There are a lot of other films too, with many vampire-based films incorporating bats, such as Le Vampire and Dracula. So, get the popcorn out and enjoy yourself!
Source
World Lemur Day
World Lemur Day celebrates lemurs and spreads the word about the need to conserve them; it inspires a love for them and actions to save them from extinction. It also celebrates Madagascar, the island nation located 250 miles off the east coast of Africa that lemurs call home. Events are held around the world on the day, in person and virtually. World Lemur Day takes place on the last Friday of October, and the World Lemur Festival takes place during the weeks surrounding it.
Madagascar is rich in biodiversity, and much of its flora and fauna can be found nowhere else in the world, as is the case with lemurs. Scientists believe that lemurs may have gotten their start on Africa's mainland before arriving; they think lemurs floated to the island on vegetation, and then evolved and diversified over millions of years. Madagascar was a favorable environment for them because the landscape was habitable, there were varied food sources, and there weren't any large predators.
Today there are over 100 species of lemurs. By one count there are 112, but the number changes when new ones are identified through discoveries and genetic testing. Subfossils indicate there once were more and that some became extinct, possibly from being hunted by humans after humans arrived on the island. The 2020 update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species indicated that almost all lemur species were threatened with extinction and that almost a third were critically endangered.
The smallest lemur is the Madame's Berthe mouse lemur, weighing in at 30 grams, and the largest is the indri, which may weigh up to 9.5 kilograms. Subfossils indicate that some lemurs were once as large as gorillas. Some other lemurs are the ring-tailed lemur, dancing sifaka, and aye-aye. Lemurs have unique traits in common. They have a heightened sense of smell because of their long snouts and wet noses and have improved night vision because of their tapetum lucidum, an extra layer of tissue behind their retina. All lemurs except aye-ayes have incisors and canines that lean forward instead of upward, called toothcombs, which are used for grooming, as well as to eat seeds and bark.
The forests of Madagascar benefit from lemurs, who help them grow by pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. Lemurs eat fruit but don't digest the seeds, and leave the seeds around the forest in their droppings. They also may get seeds and pollen stuck in their fur while looking for fruits and nectar, and may pass them onto other flowers.
To protect lemurs, the challenges and threats they face must be known. They face habitat change and loss, climate change, invasive species, and poaching. The forests of Madagascar are decreasing in size, changing the habitats of lemurs. This negatively impacts individual lemurs and the species as a whole. Madagascar is one of the top countries affected by climate change caused by humans. Droughts in the south and yearly monsoons in the north have become more prevalent in the twenty-first century, affecting all life on the island, including lemurs. Being that Madagascar developed in isolation when non-native species enter the ecosystem, they can threaten those that live there. Lemurs are also hunted for the pet trade, for food, and for cultural reasons.
A "fady" is a taboo of the Malagasy people, those who reside in Madagascar. For some, hunting, killing, or eating the indri is fady, since legend says that the spirits of ancestors live on within them. The aye-aye is associated with evil, and legend says that bad things may happen to those who see one. They are often killed because of this.
Lemurs benefit from ecotourism. Those visiting Madagascar bring money to the local economy, and, in turn, the Malagasy see the benefit of having the lemurs around—tourism wouldn't thrive without them. As the economy grows, the lemurs benefit. Conservation work in Madagascar is complex and supports wildlife, habitats, and people. Building relationships with and working with the Malagasy is crucial. Establishing and maintaining protected areas, reforestation efforts, dealing with invasive species, captive breeding at zoos, and reintroducing and relocating species are all part of conservation efforts. These efforts are given a boost today with World Lemur Day!
How to Observe World Lemur Day
World Lemur Day is celebrated individually, but also by zoos and other organizations. Some ideas for participation include:
Post on social media with the hashtag #WorldLemurDay and tag the Lemur Conservation Network. They can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Focus your posts on the urgency of lemur conservation and how everyone can help make a difference and save lemurs from extinction by working together. Use the social media guide to help you craft your posts.
Utilize the Lemur Conservation Network's participation guide for ideas on how individuals, member organizations, zoos, educators, and libraries can participate. For individuals, they suggest holding a fundraiser for a Lemur Conservation Network's member organization; sharing photos of lemurs seen at zoos or during travel to Madagascar, along with information about them, what is loved about them, and memories of the trip; creating and sharing information graphics about lemurs; holding a community event, such as a lemur-themed happy hour, film screening, or costume party; visiting a school to teach kids about lemurs; or walking around in a lemur costume.
Plan your own event. Consider collaborating with a Lemur Conservation Network member organization to create one. Send details about your activity or event to the Lemur Conservation Network for them to add to their event calendar, and check the calendar for other events to attend.
Join the Lemur Conservation Network.
Volunteer with the Lemur Conservation Network or with an organization in Madagascar that protects lemurs.
Read a book about Madagascar.
Listen to a podcast about lemurs or Madagascar.
If you are a teacher, you could use the Lemur Conservation Network's teaching resources for your classroom.
Check out the Lemur Conservation Network's "Professional Resources for Research and Conservation."
Check for other ideas on the Lemur Conservation Network's "How to Help" page.
The Lemur Conservation Network suggests contacting them to learn more about participating in the day.
Source
Madagascar! opened on June 20, 2008.
Madagascar!, Bronx Zoo (No. 7)
The ring-tailed vontsira, locally still known as the ring-tailed mongoose (Galidia elegans) is a euplerid in the subfamily Galidiinae, a carnivoran native to Madagascar.
There is much disagreement about the placement of Madagascar's carnivores, including the ring-tailed vontsira, within the phylogenetic tree. A 2003 study reported evidence that the Malagasy Carnivora evolved from a single herpestid ancestor.
A monotypic genus, Galidia literally means "little weasel", being a diminutive form of galē (γαλῆ, "weasel" in ancient Greek). Its local common name is vontsira mena, ‘red vontsira’ in Malagasy.
The ring-tailed vontsira is relatively small but is the largest member of the subfamily Galidiinae. It is usually 32 to 38 cm (12.5 to 15 in) long and weighs only 700 to 900 g (25 to 32 oz). Its body is long and slender, and the rounded head has a pointed snout. The body is a dark red color and the feet are black. As the name implies, its bushy tail is covered with black and red rings and is similar to the red panda.
Ring-tailed vontsira are very agile, and good climbers. They are quite playful and are active during the day. Their habitat consists of humid forests. Their diet is mostly of small mammals, invertebrates, fish, reptiles and eggs, but they occasionally eat insects and fruit.
The population of ring-tailed vontsira has decreased by 20% during the period 1989-1999 due to habitat loss. Another problem is competition with the small Indian civet (Viverricula indica).
Source: Wikipedia
Madagascar!, Bronx Zoo (No. 5)
Although the term "lemur" was first intended for slender lorises, it was soon limited to the endemic Malagasy primates, which have been known as "lemurs" ever since. The name derives from the Latin term lemures, which refers to specters or ghosts that were exorcised during the Lemuria festival of ancient Rome. According to Carl Linnaeus's own explanation, the name was selected because of the nocturnal activity and slow movements of the slender loris. Being familiar with the works of Virgil and Ovid and seeing an analogy that fit with his naming scheme, Linnaeus adapted the term "lemur" for these nocturnal primates. However, it has been commonly and falsely assumed that Linnaeus was referring to the ghost-like appearance, reflective eyes, and ghostly cries of lemurs. It has also been speculated that Linnaeus may also have known that some Malagasy people have held legends that lemurs are the souls of their ancestors, but this is unlikely given that the name was selected for slender lorises from India. The species name, catta, refers to the ring-tailed lemur's cat-like appearance. Its purring vocalization is similar to that of the domestic cat.
Following Linnaeus's species description, the common name "ring-tailed maucauco" was first penned in 1771 by Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant, who made note of its characteristic long, banded tail. (The term "maucauco" was a common term for lemurs at this time.) The now universal English name "ring-tailed lemur" was first used by George Shaw in his illustrated scientific publication covering the Leverian collection published between 1792 and 1796.
Source: Wikipedia
