Ring-tailed lemurs are among the most commonly kept zoo primates; their welfare depends on appropriate group structure, thermoregulation opportunities, and scent-marking territory.
Ring-tailed lemur welfare in zoos requires management that respects their female-dominated social structure and active behavioural needs. Social groupings must allow female dominance to be expressed; forcing male-dominated groups or inappropriate social compositions creates chronic stress. Scent marking on appropriate substrates is highly motivated and provides psychological territory in captive settings that cannot include the large ranges of wild populations. Thermoregulation is critical: ring-tailed lemurs sunbathe to regulate body temperature and need access to both basking areas and heated shelter in cooler climates. Their conservation value is genuine given the crisis in Madagascar's forests.