Although they are endemic to only one island, most people have heard of lemurs. These noisy creatures originally got their name from a mythical Roman creature, and have become quite renowned. Many see lemurs as the symbol of the island of Madagascar.
These primates have long amazed scientists, especially because there are over a hundred species! From the maki (Malagasy for the ring-tailed lemur) to the hay-hay (Malagasy for the aye-aye), they all possess something remarkable that rewards any visitor to their homeland.
If you have not been lucky enough to see one in real life, in Madagascar or at a zoo, you have probably seen them on TV!
In this blog post, we explore where lemurs appear in pop culture. And, we discuss what each film, television show, or video game got right, and what they got wrong.
The Most Famous Lemurs in Pop Culture
You might wonder if you have ever seen them. Sometimes, characters are not defined as lemurs and other times, they are quite obvious! Here are the most famous lemur characters in TV, movies, and video games.
Madagascar
None other than a movie called “Madagascar” could be first on this list. The Dreamworks movie ended up being a saga of three and many series, all featuring lemurs. One of the charismatic quartet of main characters is a ring-tailed lemur named “King Julien”.
This fancy-dressed lemur can tell us about the things that were nicely done and the mistakes the movie-makers made:
What They Got Right
- Many different lemur species accompany this ring-tailed king, such as Maurice (an aye-aye) and Mort (a mouse lemur). Additionally, ruffed lemurs, sifakas, crowned lemurs, blue-eyed black lemurs, and brown lemurs appear, but not these characters don’t have very large roles.
- Madagascar is shown as their home and the only place where they naturally live, along with many other beautiful endemic animals. The movie also features amazing landscapes, such as the baobabs, that reflect the island’s traits.
- Fossas are their natural predators in the animation, as they are in real life! This inclusion reflects perfectly the functioning of a natural environment and the struggle for survival. Also, this allows many people to get to know a species as famous as lemurs.
Learn how lemurs and Madagascar are unique.
What they Got Wrong
- The main mistake is embodied by “King Julien”, who should have been “Queen Juliette”. Dreamworks lost a great opportunity to show that not all primates have male-dominant groups, as most lemur species are matriarchal, which means that females rule and get to choose first what to eat or where to sleep.
- Even though they decided not to show many human characters on the island, the truth is that Madagascar is called home by more than 30 million people. Sadly, this island is one of the poorest countries in the world.
- Most of the beautiful pristine forests displayed in the movie are now fragmented. In fact, most of the vegetal coverage of the island has disappeared within the last two centuries. This poses a huge risk for the marvelous lemur species. Learn what the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species says about lemurs.
Zoboomafoo
This one is for our Gen Z friends. Zoboomfaoo, a lovable sifaka, regularly aired on PBS and pioneered environmental educational programs for the younger generation. However, as with many things, time goes by, and we can analyze this series’ approach in detail.
What They Got Right
- If lemurs were unknown at the time, sifakas were a surprise for everyone. The program’s inclusion of this animal as its main character made it famous for a whole generation.
- In the episodes featuring sifakas, they provided information about the lemur species based on scientific facts, and remarked on their uniqueness. Learn about Zoboomafoo’s sifaka cousins in Madagascar.
What They Got Wrong
- While their educational value was immense, they may have normalized direct contact with lemurs in particular and with all wild animals in general. This could be problematic as it could encourage the image of lemurs as pets. Learn why having lemurs as pets is bad for both people and lemurs.
Dinosaur
Maybe not as remembered as other Walt Disney movies, Dinosaur included lemurs. This animation describes the fight for dinosaurs’ survival after the impact of a meteorite. Among majestic dinosaur species, there is also a family of sifakas that take care of a lost iguanodon egg.
What They Got Right
- Depicting sifakas in the wild and showing their normal behaviors is positive. They even feature their leaping ways and characteristic and renowned calls! View our fact sheet on the Diademed sifaka.
- In the movie, the sifakas live isolated on an island, nowhere else. Such a thing helps to understand them as endemic to one place, the island of Madagascar.
What They Got Wrong
- Lemurs and dinosaurs never shared Earth at the same time. Although lemur’s ancestry started just after the mass dinosaur extinction, the time gap is millions of years. Learn how story of the lemurs begins 65 to 75 million years ago.
- As with Madagascar movies, the producers did not show proper social dynamics in the sifakas’ group. They pictured them as patriarchal, missing an opportunity to highlight this peculiar trait in most lemur species.
Pokémon
TV has not been the only screen to peek at some lemurs’ references. There is the world of video games, and Pokémon stands out. Many primate references are renowned in one of the most famous worlds ever created: Ambipom, Mankey, Infernape…
But, did you know that in recent additions to the Pokémon saga, you can find lemur-based Pokémons?
They are called Passimian and Grafaiai, based on a black-and-white ruffed lemur and an aye-aye respectively.
What They Got Right
- They describe lemurs with some accuracy, but not exactly, as they are not pure representations of lemurs. For example, Passimian is characterized as more prosocial than Grafaiai, which shows nocturnal activity patterns and tends to be isolated.
- Grafaiai presents a long middle finger that proves which animal it is based on (the aye-aye!). This odd trait found in this species is essential for the animal’s lifestyle and therefore, is a great thing that this trait is featured. See our aye-aye fact sheet.
What They Got Wrong
- While Pokémon does not tend to have realistic representations of animals, their effort to represent a range of fauna should be praised. However, it could be argued that Pokémon’s main idea is that humans possess and control “animals,” which could encourage the pet trade. But many will expose that Pokémon entertain and amuse many children in inoffensive ways.
Our Responsibility When We Watch a Show with Lemurs
Of course, there are many more lemur references in pop culture. Their relevance increases as more people get to know them. Lemurs are amazing creatures. They are cute, but they are also in peril! This is why we are responsible whenever we watch a show with animals. We must consider if the depiction of these animals is realistic, and what they are like in real life.
However, do not get confused by their cute appearance — they would never be a good pet! They deserve a happy social life with other lemurs in the wild, just as much as you deserve to continue enjoying pop culture and your life with your friends and family.
Learn More about Lemurs and Madagascar
While you enjoy some screen time, you could watch one of the many charming documentaries that display the lemurs’ lives in the wild!
Enjoy these photos of lemurs in the wild!
