Wet and dry season diets of the Endangered Lemur catta (ring‐tailed lemur) in two mountainous rocky outcrop forest fragments in south‐central Madagascar

Lemur catta's ability to consume a wide variety of plant foods is a key to this species' survival in a time of ecological crisis across its geographic range. We examined seasonal diet variability of L. catta groups inhabiting two rocky outcrop fragments in south‐central Madagascar: Anja Reserve and Tsaranoro Valley forest. Leaves and fruit of Melia azedarach were a keystone resource for Anja lemurs in wet and dry seasons. At Tsaranoro, L. catta relied on M. azedarach and Ficus spp. in dry season, but during the wet season, neither was a dominant food resource. Top food species at both sites differed markedly from those consumed by L. catta in other habitats. At Tsaranoro, a greater proportion of lemurs engaged in feeding during the dry season compared with wet season. We attribute this to resource scarcity during dry season, when greater feeding effort is needed to maintain energy requirements. Because M. azedarach is ubiquitous throughout Anja Reserve, producing fruit and leaves year‐round, Anja lemurs can meet energy requirements with little seasonal adjustment in feeding activity. L. catta's IUCN status has been upgraded to Endangered, thus, greater insight into its diet flexibility and ability to survive on introduced plant species, can inform conservation plans in remaining wild habitats and ex situ programs.