Aye-aye Pod

The fossil record of Madagascar is incredible. There are unicorn-horned meat-eating dinosaurs, colossal flightless birds, and lemurs the size of gorillas. Dr. Noromamy Rahanaharivao is a paleontologist in Madagascar who is excavating her country’s past biodiversity. She’s done research on monkey-like Archaeolemur and has searched flooded caves of Tsimanampetsotsa National Park for the remains of Pachylemur, a giant relative of ruffed lemurs. Join Dr. Rahanaharivao as she tells us about her first fossil discoveries and why we think these incredible creatures went extinct in the last couple of centuries.   Dr. Rahanaharivao’s research publications – CLICK HERE Research paper by Dr. Rahanaharivao and colleagues on the fossil record at Tsimanampetsotsa National Park – CLICK HERE Video from PBS Eons on the giant lemurs of Madagascar – CLICK HERE The post S4E6 Writing the History of My Country: Finding Extinct Lemurs first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Forests are complicated places, and the species inhabiting forests are dependent on each other in a complex network that we call ecology. Camille Desisto is an ecologist and graduate student at Duke University, and she studies the interactions between plants and lemurs in Madagascar and at the Duke Lemur Center. Specifically, Camille looks at the lemur role of seed disperser—eating fruit and leaving behind seeds throughout the forest. Camille is interested in the mechanics of seed dispersal and how changes in lemur populations can impact the whole forest community. Learn how she works with conservation organizations, especially the DLC-SAVA Conservation program, to connect her research to conservation practices and policy.   Camille Desisto’s research website – CLICK HERE One of Camille’s research studies on lemur-plant ecology in Madagascar – CLICK HERE Camille in the field with her collaborators (video) – CLICK HERE The post S4E5 Tromping Around in Madagascar: Seed Dispersal and Lemurs first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

So how smart are lemurs, exactly? How do we even start to figure that out? Meet Ray Vagell, researcher and graduate student from Texas State University who uses SMARTA (a custom-designed touch screen system) to study how lemurs solve problems at the Duke Lemur Center. We also discuss the fun – but mysterious – fact that only female ruffed lemurs have color vision. Ray also uses SMARTA to study ruffed lemur vision, and how his research has become enrichment for some ruffed lemurs who love pushing playing with the device. Sometimes they even find ways to cheat the system!  Ray’s research website – CLICK HERE Ruffed lemurs using SMARTA (video) – CLICK HERE Ray’s published work on the SMARTA system (article) – CLICK HERE The post S4E4 How We Problem Solve: Ruffed Lemur Cognition first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Dr. Andrea Baden and her team have spent a lot of time in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar learning about the social lives of ruffed lemurs. In this episode, she shares why it takes a village to run a ruffed lemur kindergarten, how art photography led to her career in primatology, and how ruffed lemurs adapted to climate change. Socially, ruffed lemurs are one of the weirdest lemurs out there, and Dr. Baden is the perfect person to explain the method to their social madness.   Dr. Baden’s Lab Homepage – CLICK HERE Dr. Baden’s research paper on nesting ruffed lemurs – CLICK HERE Dr. Baden’s research paper on fission-fusion social dynamics in ruffed lemurs – CLICK HERE The post S4E3 Lemur Kindergarten: Social Dynamics in Ruffed Lemurs first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.