Zoologger: Shy lemurs communicate using toilet trees Zoologger is our weekly

Zoologger: Shy lemurs communicate using toilet trees Zoologger is our weekly column highlighting extraordinary animals – and occasionally other organisms – from around the world Species: White-footed sportive lemur (Lepilemur leucopus) Habitat: The forest canopies of southern Madagascar It might be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, but the white-footed sportive lemur waits until night is approaching before it creeps down from the forest hideout where it has been sleeping all day. Slowly, it makes its way to the family toilet – a group of trees some distance away. Despite purposely avoiding each other, the family all use the same latrine, leaving urine-soaked messages to each other. Just like people scrawling on a toilet cubicle wall, they tell their kin they are still nearby and warn off rivals. Ironically, white-footed sportive lemurs aren't that sporty. The leafy diet and low metabolism of sportive lemurs make them some of the laziest primates in the world. Though the lemurs share their territory with their mates and children, they don't actually want to see or spend time with them, going to great lengths to avoid doing so. They refuse to partake in the grooming rituals typical of other primates, and don't take kindly to sharing their tree hideouts with others. But by sharing their toilet, the lemurs are able to check in with each other without the hassle of actual physical contact. A chemical message Iris Dröscher of the German Primate Centre in Göttingen spent more than 1000 hours watching the toilet habits of 14 adult sportive lemurs. "What I found was that individuals of the family group went to the same places to defecate and urinate at different times in the night," she says. "The chemical traces in the urine are unique for each lemur, so by leaving scent marks the lemurs can interact and bond with their family without meeting them." They also used the toilet trees to warn off potential rivals. Whenever they sensed an unwelcome male intruder, lemurs would visit their latrines much more often, using specialised glands to mark the trees with their scent. The strong-smelling chemicals warn off any male lemurs that may be hoping to chance their luck with a territory grab or a sneaky mating with a female. "Scent marks inform an intruder that there is a resident male that is willing and able to defend his partner," says Dröscher.

Comments

[a house formy home]

Think about the skills one needs to make money online. Just as with any task, when discussing with a likely employer focus on those ability outlined from the job offer. Then consentrate on what makes an effective employee exactly who works in your own home.

[biggest dating]

Have great persons skills in addition to know lots about travelling? Consider to be a travel agent on the comfort of ones own home. Many scheduling companies seek the services of at-home individuals to answer message or calls and talk with customers on the net.

[river town entertainment]

Quite a few businesses in your local area might be open to at-home positions instead of know the item. Jobs that need many typing or maybe editing is usually great be employed by at-home individuals. Think about transforming into a medical or maybe legal transcriptionist.

[sikkim health]

Quite a few standard real estate investment contracts definitely will give your house buyer the suitable to inspect the home and property, so be geared up. Have the house inspected before people advertise. Under holistic inspection you will be obligated for making major maintenance tasks to home equipment.

[kang dazg]

An avowed residential appraiser will happen to your dwelling, measure the home and property, take notices and pics, research info on any area parcels, and assemble an index of comparable sales with your neighborhood to determine the value of your dwelling.