Free Teacher Resources
A crowned lemur peering out from between tree trunks.
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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
Checking teacher reviews…
Teacher? Sign in to review this page →Report a mistake

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

Sources

  1. [1] Zoo Atlanta. “Crowned Lemur.” https://zooatlanta.org/animal/crowned-lemur/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [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

A black-and-white ruffed lemur with golden eyes resting on a branch.Black-and-White Ruffed LemurVarecia variegataThe largest lemur, a critically endangered fruit-eater of eastern Madagascar's rainforests that raises its babies in nests.A ring-tailed lemur drinking from a pond with its black-and-white striped tail raised.Ring-Tailed LemurLemur cattaAn endangered primate of southwestern Madagascar with a black-and-white striped tail, female-led troops and a love of sunbathing.