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This content will become publicly available on December 11, 2025

Title: Ruffed lemurs on the edge: recolonization of Varecia variegata in a disturbed forest.
Black-and-white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata) are often described as highly sensitive to habitat disturbance (White et al., 1995; Balko, 1998; Ratsimbazafy, 2002; Ratsimbazafy, 2006; Herrera et al., 2011). In fact, local habitat quality has been shown to be a major predictor of Varecia occupancy across the species’ range (Morelli et al., 2020). In Ranomafana National Park, Varecia occupy several structurally and compositionally distinct sites. Disturbed sites—those previously subject to logging—have lower densities of shorter trees with smaller canopies and lower cover, as well as lower floristic diversity than undisturbed sites (Balko, 1998; Mancini, 2023). Resultantly, sites of lower quality habitat, particularly those with fewer large fruiting trees available, have lower population numbers of Varecia, with highly disturbed sites completely absent of this taxon (e.g., Herrera et al., 2011). However, our recent observations of Varecia in a disturbed forest site in Ranomafana National Park suggests the latter is not always the case.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2216551
PAR ID:
10559548
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Editor(s):
Schwitzer, Christoph; Clark, Fay; Fichtel, Claudia; Ganzhorn, Jörg U; King, Tony; Mass, Vanessa; Rasoloarison, Rodin M; Ratsimbazafy, Jonah H; Volampeno, Sylviane N; Yoder, Anne D
Publisher / Repository:
IUCN SSC
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Lemur news
ISSN:
1608-1439
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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