An increase in a species’s birth rate could be viewed as a good thing. But in the very particular mating patterns of Madagascan lemurs, an observed baby boom is causing researchers alarm—a possible disturbing indication of environmental changes. Like seeing bees in November, or plants blooming early, more babies do not necessarily mean increased survival. What are these expectant lemurs really telling us?
Like other lemur species in the wild, black-and-white ruffed lemurs live in the treetops, eat mostly fruit, and breed within a specific window of time. But unlike their cousins, who breed annually or at regular intervals such as every other year, black-and-white ruffed lemurs have unpredictable gaps between birth years.
Their fickle fecundity is reinforced in a surprising way. Most of the time—as is the case with other lemur species—a female black-and-white ruffed lemur’s vulva has no opening at all. “They could not have sex if they wanted to,” Baden says. But for 24 to 72 hours in July of a lucky year, she says, “Their vagina will open like a flower.” There’s a brief frenzy of mating. Then the females close up shop again.
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