Meet some of the rarest lemurs in the world
Once thought to be extinct until they were rediscovered in the 1960s, greater bamboo lemurs Critically Endangered, so a rare sight. Whilst they look like other bamboo lemurs, such as the Alaotran gentle lemurs we also care for here at the zoo, greater bamboo lemurs are more closely related to ring-tailed lemurs. You can see our greater bamboo lemurs in Kirindy Forest.
Today, there are only around 1,500 in the wild, and fewer than 10 zoos that care for them. Long ago, things were very different. Fossil evidence suggests that this species was once the most common lemur, with an estimated 1 million of them roaming Madagascar 90,000 years ago!
Animal facts
Key facts about the greater bamboo lemur
I’m found in madagascar
Greater bamboo lemurs live in bamboo forests in Southern Madagascar.
My favourite food is bamboo
As their name suggests, 95% of their diet is bamboo.
I’m rarely seen in zoos
Only 10 zoos care for greater bamboo lemurs worldwide.
17-24 years
average lifespan in zoos
40-45cm
average body length
2.3-2.7kg
average adult weight
Protecting greater bamboo lemurs
Greater bamboo lemurs’ dependence on bamboo makes them vulnerable to habitat loss. With Madagascar’s forests shrinking and climate change threatening bamboo growth, protecting these unique forests is vital to this lemur’s survival.
Since 1986, Durrell has been working to protect Madagascar’s most endangered wildlife and secure the future of nature-dependent communities.
Help us care for our greater bamboo lemurs