Grewcock's Sportive Lemur
CR

Grewcock's Sportive Lemur

Lepilemur grewcockorum

Declining

Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Overview

Grewcock's sportive lemur, or the Anjiamangirana sportive lemur, is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is a medium-sized sportive lemurs with a total length of about 55 to 63 cm, of which 26–30 cm (10–12 in) are tail. Grewcock's sportive lemur is found in northwestern Madagascar, living in dry deciduous forests.

Lepilemur grewcockorum faces severe population decline primarily due to rapid deforestation and habitat fragmentation in its restricted range in northern Madagascar. Slash-and-burn agriculture (tavy) and charcoal production have eliminated vast areas of dry deciduous forest, while mining activities further degrade remaining habitat patches. The species' highly specialized diet and limited dispersal ability make it particularly vulnerable to habitat loss, as fragmented populations cannot easily recolonize cleared areas.

Threat summary

Habitat

This sportive lemur inhabits dry deciduous forests in the Ankarana region of northern Madagascar, preferring areas with dense canopy cover and specific tree species that provide both food and sleeping sites. The species requires intact forest connectivity for movement between feeding and resting areas, making it highly sensitive to habitat fragmentation.

Forest· majorMarine coastal/supratidal· major

Conservation measures underway

Habitat & natural process restorationLegislationCompliance and enforcement

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Grewcock's Sportive Lemur classified as Critically Endangered?
Grewcock's Sportive Lemur is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Lepilemur grewcockorum faces severe population decline primarily due to rapid deforestation and habitat fragmentation in its restricted range in northern Madagascar. Slash-and-burn agriculture (tavy) and charcoal production have eliminated vast areas of dry deciduous forest, while mining activities further degrade remaining habitat patches. The species' highly specialized diet and limited dispersal ability make it particularly vulnerable to habitat loss, as fragmented populations cannot easily recolonize cleared areas.
Where does Grewcock's Sportive Lemur live?
Grewcock's Sportive Lemur occurs in Madagascar. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Grewcock's Sportive Lemur?
The main threats to Grewcock's Sportive Lemur are 1.1, 2.1, 2.3, and 5.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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