Crowned Lemur

Eulemur coronatus

A small, fruit-eating lemur of northern Madagascar whose males and females look so different they were once easy to tell apart at a glance.

🐒 Lemurs

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About the Crowned Lemur

Crowned lemurs live only in the northernmost part of Madagascar, in dry forests and mid-altitude rainforests on rugged limestone ground. They weigh only about 3 to 3.5 pounds. Fruit makes up as much as 80 to 90 percent of what they eat, along with young leaves, flowers and pollen. They are active during the day and live in small groups of five or six led by females.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Eulemur coronatus^[1]
Weight: About 3 to 3.5 pounds.^[1]
Lifespan: 15 to 20 years in the wild. About 30 years in zoos.^[1]
Diet: Mostly fruit, plus young leaves, flowers, pollen and sometimes insects.^[1]
Habitat: Dry deciduous forest and mid-altitude rainforest on rugged limestone.^[1]
Where it lives: The far north of Madagascar.^[1]
Group life: Groups of five or six led by dominant females. Active by day.^[1]
Babies: Pregnancy lasts about 4.5 months. Single babies and twins are equally common.^[1]
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN Red List, assessed 2018).^[2]

Fun facts

Male and female crowned lemurs are different colors.^[1]
Lemurs comb their fur with a "tooth comb" made from their lower front teeth.^[1]
Fruit can be up to 90 percent of a crowned lemur's diet.^[1]

Vocabulary

lemur: A primate found in the wild only on Madagascar.
dimorphic: Having males and females that look different.
tooth comb: A row of thin lower front teeth that lemurs use to groom.
limestone: A kind of rock often worn into sharp, rugged shapes.
endangered: A conservation label meaning a species faces a very high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Zoo AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia · All AnimalsSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
San Francisco Zoo & GardensSan Francisco, California · MammalsSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and AquariumOmaha, Nebraska · Hubbard Expedition MadagascarSee this area on the zoo's website ↗
Oakland ZooOakland, California · Children's ZooSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Zoo Atlanta. “Crowned Lemur.” https://zooatlanta.org/animal/crowned-lemur/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Eulemur coronatus (Crowned Lemur).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/8199/182239524 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

More Lemurs

Aye-AyeDaubentonia madagascariensisA strange-looking nocturnal lemur that taps on trees with a long, thin middle finger to find grubs inside.Black-and-White Ruffed LemurVarecia variegataThe largest lemur, a critically endangered fruit-eater of eastern Madagascar's rainforests that raises its babies in nests.Blue-Eyed Black LemurEulemur flavifronsOne of the world's most threatened primates, a blue-eyed Madagascar lemur whose males are black and females are orange.

Coquerel's SifakaPropithecus coquereliA white-and-brown lemur of northwestern Madagascar that leaps between trees and hops sideways on the ground.Gray Mouse LemurMicrocebus murinusOne of the smallest primates in the world, a tiny, big-eyed lemur that weighs about two ounces.Mongoose LemurEulemur mongozA small, gray, critically endangered lemur of northwestern Madagascar and the Comoro Islands that can switch between day and night activity.Red Ruffed LemurVarecia rubraA critically endangered orange-red lemur with a black face and a thick neck ruff, found only on Madagascar's Masoala Peninsula.Red-Fronted Brown LemurEulemur rufifronsA fruit-eating Madagascar lemur whose males and females are different colors, and one of the few lemurs not led by females.

Ring-Tailed LemurLemur cattaAn endangered primate of southwestern Madagascar with a black-and-white striped tail, female-led troops and a love of sunbathing.