Sahamalaza Peninsula Sportive Lemur

The Sahamalaza sportive lemur is nocturnal and therefore has large orange eyes which are adapted for seeing in the dark. Individuals weigh 700–900 g (25–32 oz), with females being up to 200 g (7.1 oz) heavier than males. Head-to-body length is approximately 26 cm (10 in), and the tail is equally long. The color of the fur has elements of grey and red-brown, but this is variable depending on light conditions and possibly age of individuals. The lemur has lighter belly fur, which ranges from grey to creamy colored. It has a pronounced sense of smell, and the tip of its nose is moist and very sensitive.

The Sahamalaza sportive lemur is endemic to the Sahamalaza Peninsula in northwestern Madagascar. The peninsula is part of a transition zone between the Sambirano region and the deciduous forest region. The peninsula has been subject to extensive anthropogenic deforestation, and no intact forests remain. The remaining forest consists of five forest fragments. Of these, the most frequently studied is the Ankarafa forest (extent 13°52′S / 45°38′E to 14°27′S / 47°46′E). The Ankarafa forest lies on the transition zone, harboring semi humid forest with tree heights up to 25 m (82 ft). Sahamalaza sportive lemurs like areas with high tree density and canopy cover with many sleeping places. The climate here is seasonal; May–October is cool and dry, while November–April is hot and rainy.

The majority of the sportive lemurs' diet consists of leaves, but it will also take fruit, flowers, sap, bark and small invertebrates. Leaf-eating primates are rarely nocturnal, presumably because leaves are relatively low in sugars at night, since photosynthesis occurs at a lower rate or not at all. The metabolic rates of Lepilemur species are amongst the lowest recorded in mammalian folivores, and they are highly adapted for surviving on this diet. It has been suggested that Lepilemur species can only fulfil their dietary requirements with the aid of coprophagy (consuming their own feces).