Lemurs Make Rock Climbing Look Easy | BBC Earth

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:01]These are crowned lemurs.

[00:00:14]They don't live up here, but they must cross the peaks to find fruing trees in the forest pockets.

[00:00:54]Exposed to the tropical sun, it's devilishly hot.

[00:01:12]The group seeks shelter and a brief respit.

[00:01:27]The lemurs are vulnerable here and need to get a move on.

[00:01:48]There's still a way to go before they reach the forest.

[00:02:07]They get to what looks like the most daunting part of the journey, a 30 m drop where the limestone has fallen away to create sheer cliffs.

[00:02:20]But crowned lemurs are as good at rock climbing as they are at tree climbing.

[00:02:40]Once down, they'll find shelter from the heat and plenty to eat, but they must be on their guard.

[00:02:53]There is one danger that every lemur on the island fears. A hunter that climbs as well as they can. The Fer.

[00:03:04]No big African predators made it to Madagascar. There are no lions, no leopards, no wild dogs. Instead, the island's top predator is a giant mongoose, and it eats lemurs.

[00:03:25]But it has more curious habits.

[00:03:29]It's the mating season and this female has stationed herself 15 m up a tree.

[00:03:35]She's chosen a branch that will just support her own weight plus that of a male.

[00:03:46]A male approaches. If she approves of him, she'll allow him to mate. If she doesn't, she'll back away to a thinner branch and he won't be able to get to her.

[00:04:01]She's only fertile for a few days a year, so setting herself up in this tall tree is a good way of advertising her availability to suitors.

[00:04:11]And it seems to work.

[00:04:14]This is the sixth male she's entertained today.