ENDANGERED SPECIES - RING-TAILED LEMURID92920058
COIN A.P.E. BANDED-TAILED LEMUR.
For the year 2022, being aware of the importance of conserving the integrity and diversity of nature by ensuring the equitable and sustainable use of natural resources, the FNMT-RCM is issuing a collection of 16 coins dedicated to a selection of endangered animals catalogued as Critically Endangered (CR) and included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The complete collection consists of sixteen coins, issued in the year 2022, and an album-case in which to store them in an orderly fashion.
On the obverse, in a central circular area, an image of the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) is reproduced in colour. At the top, in a circular downward direction and in capitals, the legend RING-TAILED LEMUR. At the bottom, in a circular direction and in capitals, the legend ESPAÑA (SPAIN) and the year of issue 2022.
On the reverse (common to all the coins), inside a central circle at the top, the legend ANIMALS IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION appears in a circular shape and in capitals; below it, the value of the coin 1.5 EURO, in two lines and in capitals; and, below it, the mint mark.
| Series | Endangered Species |
| Year | 2022 |
| Colour | Yes |
| Diameter (mm) | 33 |
| Face Value (Euro) | 1.5 |
| Metal | Cupronickel |
| Weight (g) | 15 |
| Maximum Mintage (units) | 5,000 |
BANDED-TAILED LEMUR (Lemur catta)
Lemurs are primates endemic to the African island of Madagascar. They are named after the ghosts or spirits of Roman mythology, the lemurs or larvae, spirits of the night that terrorised the living. There are over 100 species of lemurs, all native to Madagascar, ranging in size from the 30 g Microcebus berthae (the world's smallest primate) to the 9 kg Indri indri (one extinct lemur was the size of a gorilla), from strictly vegetarian to carnivorous. They share the main basic primate traits, such as five fingers and toes, an opposable thumb and nails instead of claws.
The ring-tailed lemur lives in the south of the island of Madagascar, in wooded or dry scrubland areas. Exclusively diurnal, this omnivorous primate is also known locally as hira or maky. It spends only a third of its life on land, spending the rest of its time in the trees. Social animals, they live in groups of around 20-30 individuals, governed by a matriarchal system. In the wild, they usually live between 15-20 years, and have a high reproduction rate. Its natural enemies, apart from humans, include some raptors, large reptiles and animals introduced by humans such as civets or cats.
The huge island of Madagascar, the fourth largest on the planet, suffers from a constant loss of natural habitats due to human action or the devastating action of fires, and wildlife is confined to the most inaccessible parts of the island. As a result, 95% of lemur species are in danger of extinction, such as the ring-tailed lemur, which is also hunted for its meat or captured for sale as a pet because of its beauty, intelligence and ability to manipulate objects.