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Golden Bamboo Lemur
Hapalemur aureus
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderPrimates
- FamilyLemuridae (Typical Lemurs)
- GenusHapalemur (Bamboo Lemurs)
- SpeciesHapalemur aureus (Golden Bamboo Lemur)
In 3 days >90%
165 Verified sightings at Ranomafana National Park From 2019 to 2026
165 In 1 park
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the Golden Bamboo Lemur
The golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus), bokombolomena or varibolomena in Malagasy, is a medium-sized bamboo lemur endemic to south-eastern Madagascar. It is able to ingest twelve times as much cyanide as would be considered lethal for other species of its size.
The golden bamboo lemur is crepuscular i.e. is a most active at dawn and dusk. It is about the size of a domestic cat and is 28–45 cm (11–18 in) long plus a tail of 24–40 cm (9.4–15.7 in), and on average weighs 1.6 kg (3.5 lb).
The species is endemic to the rain forests of south–eastern Madagascar at elevations of 600–1,400 m (2,000–4,600 ft). It is known from the vicinity of Ranomafana National Park (first discovery in 1986 by Patricia Wright), Andringitra National Park (discovered in 1993), possibly in a forest corridor that connects Ranomafana with Andringitra National Park.
As its name indicates, this lemur feeds almost exclusively on grasses, especially the giant bamboo or volohosy (Cathariostachys madagascariensis) feeding on new shoots, leaf bases and the creepers. The growing shoots of this bamboo contain 0.015% (1 part in 6667) of cyanide. Each adult lemur eats about... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Golden Bamboo Lemur in Ranomafana National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ranomafana National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apenheul Primate Park | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
Closest Relatives at Ranomafana National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Golden Bamboo Lemur in Ranomafana National Park?
Very likely
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Golden Bamboo Lemur sighting in Ranomafana National Park on a given day, based on 165 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 14 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Golden Bamboo Lemur in Ranomafana National Park?
February, May–June, August, October and December
In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Golden Bamboo Lemur in Ranomafana National Park on a given day, against about 20% in March, the lowest month.
What time of day is best to see a Golden Bamboo Lemur?
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Golden Bamboo Lemur sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Where else can you see a Golden Bamboo Lemur?
Only Ranomafana National Park, in our data
Ranomafana National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Golden Bamboo Lemur sightings: about 80% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Where does the Golden Bamboo Lemur sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Golden Bamboo Lemur is recorded against all the mammals logged in Ranomafana National Park (165 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
