Subfossil Lemurs

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Greene

This content is a part of the Greene Foundation within the Strataverse.

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Subfossil lemurs are lemurs from Madagascar that were originally represented by recent remains dating from nearly 26,000 years ago to approximately 560 years ago. Though due to the efforts of Thaddeus Greene and the Greene Foundation many of these giant lemurs have been brought back to the present and have been reintroduced to their natural habitats

Species

Babakotia

Babakotia (Babakotia radofilai) is a species of medium-sized sloth lemur. It lived during the Pleistocene and Holocene-epochs on the island of Madagascar. It went extinct around 1,000 BCE, but was brought back to life via cloning and temporal dislocation technologies by the Greene Foundation in the late 2010’s.

Description

Babakotia weigh on average 35 to 44 lbs, making it one of the smaller sloth lemurs, though it is still a medium-sized lemur in comparison to other lemurs.

Babakotia shows intermediate stages between the slow-moving smaller sloth lemurs and the suspensory large sloth lemurs, it has helped determine the relationship between both groups and the closely related and extinct monkey lemurs.

Babakotia radofilai and all other sloth lemurs share many traits with living sloths, demonstrating convergent evolution. It has long forearms, curved digits, and highly mobile hip and ankle joints. Its skull is more heavily built than that of the Indri, but not as much as in the larger sloth lemurs. Its dentition is similar to that of all other sloth lemurs.

Ecology

Babakotia were originally native to only the extreme north and northeast of Madagascar, where it shared its range with at least two other sloth lemur species, Palaeopropithecus ingens and Mesopropithecus dolichobrachion. Babakotia is primarily a leaf-eater, though it will also eat fruit and hard seeds.

Babakotia have not been reintroduced to the wild as of yet, though several individuals from the Green City Zoo, Yosemite Valley Zoo and Central Park Zoo are being prepped for release.

Conservation

Babakotia are publically displayed at the Bronx Zoo and Duke Lemur Center

Baboon Lemur

The Baboon Lemur (Hadropithecus stenognathus) is a species of medium-sized lemur. It lived during the Pleistocene and Holocene-epochs on the island of Madagascar. It went extinct around 450 to 775 CE, but was brought back to life via cloning and temporal dislocation technologies by the Greene Foundation in the late 2010’s.

Conservation

Baboon Lemurs are publicly displayed at the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, San Diego Zoo and Duke Lemur Center

Edward's Koala Lemur

The Edward's Koala Lemur (Megaladapis edwardsi) is a large species of lemur endemic to the island of Madagascar. They went extinct in the 1500s but but were brought back to life via cloning and temporal dislocation technologies by the Greene Foundation in the late 2010’s.

Conservation

They are displayed at the Green City Zoo, Duke Lemur Center, Central Park Zoo, Bronx Zoo and San Diego Zoo.

Edward's Monkey Lemur

the Edward's Monkey Lemur (Archaeolemur edwardsi) is a species of large Lemur endemic to the island of Madagascar. They went extinct in the 1000s but was brought back to life via cloning and temporal dislocation technologies by the Greene Foundation in the late 2010’s.

Conservation

Edward's Monkey Lemurs are displayed at Green City Zoo, the Duke Lemur Center, Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo and Como Park Zoo.

Giant Aye-Aye

The Giant Aye-Aye (Daubentonia robusta) is a large nocturnal lemur endemic to the southern and southeastern portions of Madagascar.

Ecology

Giant Aye-Ayes are very similar to their smaller relatives, using the same foraging strategy of tapping their giant middle fingers on wood to locate grubs.

Conservation

Giant Aye-Ayes are held at the Duke Lemur Center, Bronx Zoo, Omaha’s Henry Doorley Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo and the San Diego Zoo.

Giant Ruffed Lemur

The Giant Ruffed Lemurs, consisting of two species (Pachylemur insignis and Pachylemur jullyi) are two species of large lemur endemic to Madagascar. Their closest relatives are the Varecia lemurs (Red Ruffed Lemur and Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur)

Pachylemur insignis is known as the Giant Red Ruffed Lemur and P. jullyi is known as Jully’s Giant Ruffed Lemur.

Conservation

Giant Red Ruffed Lemurs are held at Duke Lemur Center, Bronx Zoo, Omaha’s Henry Doorley Zoo and Auckland Zoo

Jully’s Giant Ruffed Lemurs are held at Duke Lemur Center, Lake Superior Shores Wildlife Park, Maple Leaf Wildlife Park and Orca Point Zoo

Giant Sloth Lemur

The Giant Sloth Lemur (Archaeoindris fontoynontii) is a large lemur endemic to central Madagascar. It is not only the largest lemur, it is also one of the largest primates to ever exist on Earth.

Description

Archaeoindris can weigh an average of 550 - 575 lbs with some exceptional individuals reachingover 600 lbs.

Ecology

Archaeoindris live in more open habitats that are not entirely forest such as grasslands and woodlands. Giant Sloth Lemurs spend a lot of time on the ground feeding mostly on grasses and shrubs, but are adept climbers, often climbing high to feed on higher browse, nuts and fruits as well as to nest during the night.

Conservation

Giant Sloth Lemurs are kept at the Duke Lemur Center, Green City Zoo, Apenheul Primate Park and the San Diego Zoo

A small population of Giant Sloth Lemurs have been released into the Ambohitantely Special Reserve and are monitored closely by ecologists.

Grandidier’s Koala Lemur

The Grandidier’s Koala Lemur (Megaladapis grandidieri) is is a large species of lemur endemic to the island of Madagascar.

Conservation

Grandidier’s Koala Lemurs are held at the Duke Lemur Center, Central Park Zoo and Orca Point Aquarium

Greater Koala Lemur

The Greater Koala Lemur (Megaladapis madagascariensis) is a species of lemur endemic to the island of Madagascar.

Conservation

Greater Koala Lemurs are held at the Duke Lemur Center, Panama City Zoo and Omaha’s Henry Doorley Zoo

Major’s Monkey Lemur

The Major’s Monkey Lemur (Archaeolemur majori) is a large lemur endemic to Madagascar.

Conservation

Major’s Monkey Lemur are held at the Duke Lemur Center, Minnesota Zoo, Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo and San Diego Zoo

Palaeopropithecus

Palaeopropithecus is a genus of large lemurs native to the island of Madagascar

Three species are known to exist, P. ingens, P. maximus and P. kelyus

• Palaeopropithecus ingens is also known as the Clever Sloth Lemur, Tratratratra or Tretretretre
• Palaeopropithecus maximus is known as the Large Sloth Lemur
• Palaeopropithecus kelyus is known as the Kely Sloth Lemur

Conservation

Clever Sloth Lemurs are held at Duke Lemur Center, Bronx Zoo and Central Park Zoo

Large Sloth Lemurs are held at Duke Lemur Center and Bronx Zoo

Kely Sloth Lemurs are held at Duke Lemur Center and Panama City Zoo