Hapalemur aureus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	PRIMATES	LEMURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Hapalemur aureus

Species Authority:

Meier, Albignac, Peyriéras, Rumpler & Wright, 1987

Common Name/s:

English	–	Golden Bamboo Lemur, Golden Lemur
French	–	Hapalémur Doré
Spanish	–	Lemur Cariancho

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B1ab(iii,v) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

Andrainarivo, C., Andriaholinirina, V.N., Feistner, A., Felix, T., Ganzhorn, J., Garbutt, N., Golden, C., Konstant, B., Louis Jr., E., Meyers, D., Mittermeier, R.A. Perieras, A., Princee, F., Rabarivola, J.C., Rakotosamimanana, B., Rasamimanana, H., Ratsimbazafy, J., Raveloarinoro, G., Razafimanantsoa, A., Rumpler, Y., Schwitzer, C., Thalmann, U., Wilmé, L. & Wright, P.

Reviewer/s:

Mittermeier, R.A. & Rylands, A.B. (Primate Red List Authority)

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Endangered as the species has a distribution range of less than 5,000 km², the range is severely fragmented, and there is continuing decline in the area and quality of habitat within the range of the species as well as in the number of mature individuals due to hunting.

History:

2000	–	Critically Endangered
1996	–	Critically Endangered (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
1996	–	Critically Endangered
1994	–	Endangered (Groombridge 1994)
1990	–	Endangered (IUCN 1990)
1990	–	Endangered (IUCN 1990)
1988	–	Indeterminate (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is known from the rain forests of southeastern Madagascar, at elevations of 600-1,400 m asl, where it can be found in and around Ranomafana National Park (where discovered in 1983 and not known from north of Miaronony), Andringitra National Park (discovered in 1993), to the north-east possibly to the region of Betsakafandrika, and in a forest corridor that connects Ranomafana with Andringitra National Park (Mittermeier et al. 2008, and references therein).
Countries:	Native: Madagascar
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This species has a patchy distribution and typically occurs at low densities. Irwin et al. (2005) commented that the population size, if uniformly distributed, would be 5,916 individuals, but that since the species is so patchily distributed, actual population size is likely much smaller, perhaps 25% of this estimate.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is found in humid forests and marshes with bamboo and reeds. The golden bamboo lemur is a diurnal species with a distinct midday rest period. It lives in small groups, usually of three to four individuals, that maintain home ranges of up 30 ha. Females typically give birth to a single young in November and December. The young are born in an altricial state and are kept safe in dense vegetation for the first two weeks of life. Based on studies at Ranomafana National Park, as much as 90% of this lemur’s diet may consist of bamboo, the majority of which is the giant bamboo (Cathariostachys madagascariensis) (Mittermeier et al. 2008, and references therein).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

It is found in humid forests and marshes with bamboo and reeds. The golden bamboo lemur is a diurnal species with a distinct midday rest period. It lives in small groups, usually of three to four individuals, that maintain home ranges of up 30 ha. Females typically give birth to a single young in November and December. The young are born in an altricial state and are kept safe in dense vegetation for the first two weeks of life. Based on studies at Ranomafana National Park, as much as 90% of this lemur’s diet may consist of bamboo, the majority of which is the giant bamboo (Cathariostachys madagascariensis) (Mittermeier et al. 2008, and references therein).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The major threat is habitat loss due to slash-and-burn agriculture and harvesting for bamboo for building houses, carrying water, making baskets and other local uses. Hunting is also a threat in some parts of the range.

Major Threat(s):

The major threat is habitat loss due to slash-and-burn agriculture and harvesting for bamboo for building houses, carrying water, making baskets and other local uses. Hunting is also a threat in some parts of the range.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species is listed on Appendix I. It is known to occur in only two protected areas (Ranomafana National Park and Andringitra National Park).The entire corridor between the two existing areas has been proposed as a Conservation Site. A captive breeding programme was set up at Parc Tsimbazaza from a founder population of two individuals that have reproduced four times. However, the programme has since collapsed. Setting up a micro-propagation program to generate new stands of bamboo has been recommended as a needed conservation measure.

Conservation Actions:

This species is listed on Appendix I. It is known to occur in only two protected areas (Ranomafana National Park and Andringitra National Park).The entire corridor between the two existing areas has been proposed as a Conservation Site. A captive breeding programme was set up at Parc Tsimbazaza from a founder population of two individuals that have reproduced four times. However, the programme has since collapsed. Setting up a micro-propagation program to generate new stands of bamboo has been recommended as a needed conservation measure.

Citation:	Andrainarivo, C., Andriaholinirina, V.N., Feistner, A., Felix, T., Ganzhorn, J., Garbutt, N., Golden, C., Konstant, B., Louis Jr., E., Meyers, D., Mittermeier, R.A. Perieras, A., Princee, F., Rabarivola, J.C., Rakotosamimanana, B., Rasamimanana, H., Ratsimbazafy, J., Raveloarinoro, G., Razafimanantsoa, A., Rumpler, Y., Schwitzer, C., Thalmann, U., Wilmé, L. & Wright, P. 2008. Hapalemur aureus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2013.
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