With their puppy dog eyes and teddy bear-like face lemurs are famed for their cute and cuddly appearance.
However a pair of the Madagascan primates resorted to spectacular flying Kung Fu moves which would not have looked out of place in a Jackie Chan movie to resolve a disagreement at Longleat Safari & Adventure Park recently.
The two ring tail lemurs, renowned for their agility and ability to leap from tree to tree in their forest homes, entertained visitors with an acrobatic display of apparent fisticuffs – although on closer inspection the pair never actually made contact with each other.
Keeper Dan Gray said: “It does look incredibly impressive when you see them sparring with each other and leaping through the air, however it’s all bluster and they very rarely come to blows.
“It’s like one of those choreographed fight scenes in a martial arts’ movie – the only thing that’s lacking is the thwacking sound effects!” he added.
The name lemur itself derives from the Latin word ‘lemures’ which means ghost and probably came from their nocturnal habits, ghost-like appearance and mournful-sounding cries.
In the mornings the ring-tailed lemur sunbathes to warm itself. It faces the sun sitting in what is frequently described as a “sun-worshipping” posture or Lotus position.
Sunning is often a group activity, particularly during the cold mornings. At night, troops will split into sleeping parties huddling closely together to keep warm
The spacious Lemur Walkthrough enclosure is home to both ring tailed and brown lemurs and features extensive rope-swings and wooden walkways which provide the lemurs with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate their extraordinary agility and climbing skills.