Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) and infant. The infant is suckling on its mother. This species of lemur is endemic to the island of Madagascar, where it inhabits scrub and forest. Unlike other lemur species, the ring-tailed lemur spends a lot of time on the ground. The breeding season is in May when female lemurs are in oestrus for only a single day. Mothers give birth to 1 infant after a gestation period of around 135 days. The baby is carried on the stomach for the first 3 weeks and after that the back. Lemurs are social animals living in matriarchal groups of up to 30 individuals. The whole group helps care for the young. Infants start to climb at 3 weeks and are independent by 6 months. Photographed in Madagascar.