There are 108 extant species of lemur, and the five species found at the Zoo are a great representation of the diversity of shapes, sizes, and specializations between species.
Why not learn a little more about about these peculiar prosimians?
Lemurs are endemic to Madagascar, and the many species have evolved to various habitat types, from rainforest to desert. Most lemurs have long tails that they use for balance and communication and teeth that form a “dental comb” that they use for grooming their thick, soft fur. There are many similarities, and just as many differences between lemur species. Here are some notes about the species you can see at the Zoo! 
Ring-tailed lemur
Most recognizable is the ring-tailed lemur. Their eyes have a reflective layer behind the retina that aids in night vision and contributes to their arresting gaze (have you ever caught them watching you, watching them?). Their gray, black, and white fur is adapted to the spiny deserts of southern Madagascar, where unlike some other species of lemur, they spend a fair amount of time on the ground. Ring-tailed lemurs are omnivores, eating plant matter, fruits, flowers, insects, reptiles, and small birds. They are diurnal, most active during the day.
Red-ruffed lemur
The red-ruffed lemur is one of the largest primates in its native Madagascar. Dark red and black with a white patch on their necks, red-ruffed lemurs’ thick fur keeps them warm as they roam the canopy of northeast Madagascar’s rainforests. They are the most frugivorous of all lemurs, with fruit comprising over 75% of their diet. These lemurs also suck the nectar out of flowers, and in the process collect pollen in their fur that they carry with them, helping pollinate the forest. They are diurnal. 
Mongoose lemur
Hailing from the deciduous forests of northwest Madagascar, mongoose lemurs are grayish brown in color and sexually dichromatic, meaning that coloration differs by sex. Males have orange-reddish fur around their faces, whereas females have lighter tan and cream fur around theirs and tend to be lighter overall. Mongoose lemurs eat mostly fruit, but also consume plant matter, nectar, insects, fungi, and even birds despite their smaller size. They are cathemeral, active both day and night but varying their activity with the season and available light. 
Aye-aye
Did you know that aye-ayes are a species of lemur? They occupy their own family within superfamily Lemuroidea and are the most distinct in appearance (to put it lightly). Unlike other lemurs, they have continuously growing teeth and very long fingers that they use to tap on branches and trunks to find insect larvae. They also eat seeds and fruit. Aye-ayes have the largest wild habitat range of all lemurs but are found primarily in northern Madagascar’s tropical and deciduous forests. They are nocturnal. 
Crowned lemur
With a preferred habitat of northern Madagascar’s dry, scrubby forests, crowned lemurs regularly descend from the canopy to forage for fruit, leaves, and insects. They are the most sexually dichromatic of all lemurs; males are reddish brown with a large black and orange patch or ‘crown’ on their heads, while females are mostly gray with an orange ‘tiara’. They are diurnal.
Fascinating and strange, observing the lemurs is a great reason to visit the Zoo’s Primate, Cat & Aquatics building. Next time you do, spend some time noticing the similarities and differences between the species!