麻豆社

In this 麻豆社 Sounds bonus episode writer Katherine Rundell focusses on the lemur, one of Madagascar鈥檚 most distinctive and surprising inhabitants. Lemurs live in female-led troops, where an alpha female calls the shots. Ring-tailed lemurs bond by forming a 鈥渓emur ball鈥�- a tightly packed, black-and-white cluster of bodies and rapidly beating hearts.

Lemurs range dramatically in size, from the tiny Madame Berthe鈥檚 mouse lemur - to the now-extinct giant lemurs, once as large as men and lost after humans arrived on the island. And their very presence on Madagascar is a mystery: although their ancestors originated in Africa, they somehow made the journey across the ocean, likely by drifting on rafts of vegetation - a theory as improbable as it is widely accepted.

Today, lemurs face serious threats. With over half of the 101 known species and subspecies endangered, and 94% at risk, their future is uncertain. This episode explores their resilience, their strange and beautiful biology, and the urgent need to protect what remains.

Presented and written by Katherine Rundell
Produced for 麻豆社 Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan