The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species™ reports that the red ruffed lemur is now critically endangered. Suggest why the red ruffed lemur has become critically endangered.
Zoos in many parts of the world run captive-breeding programmes for the red ruffed lemur. Fig. 9.2 shows the numbers of captive-born red ruffed lemurs in North American zoos from 1970 to 2020. Describe the results shown in Fig. 9.2.
Captive-breeding programmes for endangered mammals such as the red ruffed lemur can differ in how successful they are. Suggest problems that may affect the success of captive breeding programmes of mammals like the red ruffed lemur.
Occasionally, wild-caught red ruffed lemurs are added to captive-breeding programmes. Suggest why this is done.