The Red Ruffed Lemur
Overview:
With only 1,000 to 10,000 red ruffed lemurs left in the wild, they depend on us to survive; unfortunately without our help, they are likely to die out, and quickly. But there’s hope for these little lemurs; there are many ways you can help the red ruffed lemur, on international, regional, and even individual levels!
A Red Ruffed Lemur eating some foliage
A mother lemur tending to her newly borns at the Denver Zoo Rehab Center
Lemurs in Madagascar are often illegally slaughtered for bushmeat as it is cheaper than paying for domesticated meats
A Red Ruffed Lemur eating some foliage
Get Involved
Join a Conservation Organization
There are many organizations and efforts that you can join to help support the survival of the lemurs, such as:
DO NOT Buy Any Products Made from Wild or Caught Animals
These animal products mostly come from illegal poaching or hunting activity, one of the red ruffed lemur’s main threats. Buying these products, especially from the black market, not only promotes, but even funds the heinous crime of poaching, therefor enabling it to continue.
Instead, consider buying fake animal products, or cease to buy anything of that nature in general. By doing this, and spreading the word about wild animal products, you can help to stop poaching from continuing.
Talk to Your Representatives
Even though it is important to preserve the Red Ruffed Lemur, there are many more nationally endangered species that need your help! By contacting your local and/or elected representatives, you are able to express your views on endangered/wild animal conservation and why it is important.
There are many ways to support endangered species in the United States via laws, acts, and government organizations, such as the Endangered Species Act, and World Wildlife Fund.
By contacting your local or state representative, you can express your concerns for these laws, and you can urge these reps to support them at a governmental level. You can also bring up this subject in town meetings and forums to educate and gain support for these laws, adding more voices to the cause, therefor further motivating your representatives to legally support endangered species efforts.
Here are some links to learn more:
Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Spread the Word!
Educate your friends and family about the importance of endangered species like the Red Ruffed Lemur, and spread the word on how they can help too! Give them suggestions of websites, such as this one and the ones linked above, which they can reference, and show them how they can positively affect the conservation cause!
Sign a Petition:
After joining organizations, simply signing a petition for conserving the lemur habitat, or joining an emailing list to receive info about the current news of lemur conservation, can bring awareness to you and your community, as well as support the conservation cause. You have a voice; by joining an organization, you can use it! Here are some easy to sign petitions that will give the conservation of the Red Ruffed Lemur a fighting chance:
Madagascar Habitat Conservation Petition
I cant belive no one is helping us...