Book 33, Question 114 · Video
Why do lemurs live only on one island?
Lemurs are primates that live naturally only on Madagascar, a large island off the coast of Africa. Scientists think their ancestors arrived millions of years ago, probably floating on mats of plants across the sea. With no monkeys to compete with, they evolved into many different kinds. Madagascar has over a hundred kinds of lemurs.
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What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why do lemurs live only on one island?
The Big Idea
Lemurs live in only one place in the world! The island of Madagascar! Why?
One Island
Step one: One Island. Lemurs are primates that live naturally only on Madagascar, a large island off the coast of Africa. You won't find wild lemurs anywhere else on Earth, which makes them very special.
Floating Over
Step two: Floating Over. Scientists think their ancestors arrived millions of years ago. They probably floated on mats of plants and trees across the sea, a trip that may have taken weeks.
Many Kinds
Step three: Many Kinds. With no monkeys to compete with, lemurs evolved into many different kinds. Madagascar has over a hundred kinds of lemurs.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look! Only home. Arrival. None there. Over 100.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! Lemurs come in sizes from mouse-size to dog-size. They rafted on plants. There are over 100 kinds. Lemurs live only on Madagascar.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Find Madagascar on a map. Draw a lemur on the island. Draw Africa nearby. Draw a sea route from Africa. Add a little plant raft.
Outro
Lemurs live naturally only on Madagascar. Their ancestors probably floated there on plant mats millions of years ago, and with no monkeys to compete, they evolved into over a hundred kinds. Science is amazing! The world is full of surprises. Keep asking big questions, and keep exploring with me! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!