Why do some ring-tailed lemurs feeding on Leucaena not suffer from alopecia syndrome?

Abstract

Alopecia (i.e. hair loss) in ring-tailed lemurs, or "bald lemur syndrome", appeared in Berenty Reserve in the 1990s. The consumption of the leaves of Leucaena leucocephala , an introduced tree rich in toxic mimosine, has been linked to hair loss. Here, we show that individuals respond differently to the toxin, and bad fur condition is also in fluenced by other factors, particularly dietary diversity and social stress.