When Giant Lemurs Ruled Madagascar

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Just a few thousand years ago, the island of Madagascar was inhabited by giant lemurs. How did such a diverse group of primates evolve in the first place, and how did they help shape the unique environments of Madagascar? And how did they get winnowed down, leaving only their smaller relatives behind?
Thanks to Ceri Thomas for the lemur illustrations! Check out more of Ceri's paleoart at / alphynix
And thanks as always to Nobu Tamura for allowing us to use his wonderful paleoart: spinops.blogspot.com/
Produced in collaboration with PBS Digital Studios: / pbsdigitalstudios
Super special thanks to the following Patreon patrons for helping make Eons possible:
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References: docs.google.com/document/d/1z...

[@Melthornal]

Plant: stop eating me. Lemur: no Plant: stop or I will get spikey Lemur: try it, plant boy

[@usagi2934]

@Jacob Turnbaugh they're funny

[@iwaffle727]

@Jacob Turnbaugh ok boomer

[@SkateAndReview]

L

[@eyesneveropen-meow-5125]

@Jacob Turnbaugh explain how this is trolly

[@milk7803]

Sifaka be like : free real estate

[@nahli8619]

what this channel has really taught me is that once, at least once, everything was giant

[@chaosmarklar]

There are varieties in almost every species, to a domestic cat, a tiger is a giant, yet they are both cats, some species had larger ancestors in earlier periods of time but not all

[@nahli8619]

@@chaosmarklar yea, Ive noticed that hahaha. Giant bugs were the best tho considering how they are usually small today

[@chaosmarklar]

@@nahli8619 that was possible because of a higher oxygen content in the air, insects get oxygen through their exoskeleton in their limbs, so if you raised insects in a sealed high oxygen atmosphere tank, they will grow much larger, experiments have been done, that's cool

[@sohopedeco]

I'm waiting for them to talk about the teacup giraffes.

[@nahli8619]

@@chaosmarklar I know. Ive seen almost all of their videos Im basicly a biologist now

[@Mazequax]

The tiny lemurs look like they suffer from chronic anxiety.

[@Arshva]

My thoughts exactly! Like that cute little ball of stress at 1:28, nobody can tell me he doesn't look like he needs a Xanax or something:))

[@alexanderbell7651]

Today I learned I am essentially a tiny lemur

[@Mazequax]

@@alexanderbell7651 Aren't we all? :D

[@joaquinel]

He knows... We killed all of his big brothers.

[@kmuturi238]

LMFAO

[@shrimpisdelicious]

Wait... the lemurs died out 1,000 years ago? That means that there were likely giant lemurs living on Madagascar during the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.

[@Purwapada]

. King Julia(n) Caesar hahahah lol

[@omnirath]

Haast Eagles,moas and mammoths disappeared 5000 years ago !

[@mueffe1357]

Dude, go watch Roland Emmerich's 10,000BC. Seems legit

[@paninidagoat8780]

Certified bruh moment

[@TheWs235]

The Romans would have either killed them for sport in the arenas or kept them as exotic pets

[@troyjardine5850]

The real question is this, did the giant lemurs like to move it move it?

[@channlism5614]

Troy Jardine nah they just stood there stood there that’s why they went extinct

[@usagi2934]

There's two contradicting reason of to their extinction given here

[@theonlybrofist2931]

I forget that existed

[@jacobs964]

Doesn't matter. I want to though.

[@XxToXicVaGxX]

@Shill for Science a LEMUR THEORY

[@TheOtherNeutrino]

An isolated ecosystem with unique fauna. Humans: it's free real estate.

[@Robert399]

Humans: get rekt F-tier scrubs

[@therecombinant6215]

Basically.

[@scarecuervo]

Trash cans: Raccoons: it’s free real estate

[@jeffvader811]

Some people like to demonise human dominance and expansion, but to be honest, we are most certainly not the only species that goes around and turns ecosystems on their heads, we just happen to be the best.

[@jeffvader811]

@@texasrox2010 ikr, how dare we.

[@christopherjustice6411]

Ahh PBS Eons, the place where I get all the badass extinct animals to fill my fantasy world with.

[@connlaffan6232]

Christopher Justice hey I thought only I had this idea 😬😔

[@proudpapaprick]

I do this too, though they vary from continent to continent. Ice age stuff goes on the ice caps that float around my world(from north to south), dinosaurs/big jungle life to the east, South American stuff like terror birds to the west.

[@good7bad138]

@@connlaffan6232 been a recurring theme for centuries. We've been using prehistoric creatures as monster's since ancient times. The whole "truth is stranger than fiction" idea is used VERY heavily

[@connlaffan6232]

Good7 Bad13 yah ancient creatures have been fictional inspirations cross generationally, for obvious reasons.

[@theformalmooshroom9147]

You read my mind

[@victorbruant389]

It's funny, since in the movie Madagascar, the animals also get to the island accidentally.

[@brianlevine871]

Not to mention it's a new set of giant animals. 'All hail the New York Giants!'

[@victorbruant389]

@@brianlevine871 Marty the Zebra : "Excuse me, you're biting my butt! You're biting my butt!" Alex the Lion : [with Marty's butt in his mouth] "No, I'm not."

[@Mrmudbone_gaming]

Yeah...because they used the same theory to write the movie....dumbass..

[@M50A1]

@@Mrmudbone_gaming rude

[@wienzard36]

I've always irked why their supposed "king" was a lemur. now I know why..... lmao

[@Googledeservestodie]

Monkey Sloth Koala True Long ago, the four lemurs lived together in Harmony. *Then everything changed when the humans attacked*

[@boomia6305]

I love this

[@mischarowe]

Lol.

[@Vcxnt_dracxlaV]

What is a True?

[@greensteve9307]

Hahaha!

[@ElderGod4]

When the fire nation attacked*

[@veggieboyultimate]

Looks like king Julian was small compared to his ancestors of his royal family tree.

[@lavbas2107]

*Julien bruh

[@robertt9342]

It is Julien. Happy Julianuary! (Juli-anuary)

[@miquelescribanoivars5049]

Julien I was the last of the Archaeoindris.

[@puzzler1999]

Zoboo was the best lemur the ever was

[@romankozak8728]

Julian was a Queen, among Lemurs all females outranked all males

[@senatordodo4240]

what ive learned from this channel: size is one of the biggest advantages but also the biggest weakness, a double edged sword, if you will

[@Sawrattan]

Without being religious, I've always thought the Biblical saying "the meek shall inherit the earth" sums up evolution best.

[@macdege6754]

Eons: Another species warred with lemurs? Me: ALEX I WILL USE ALL MY MONEY ON THIS DAILY DOUBLE AND SAY HUMANS!

[@keithharper32]

I'm sorry, you didn't phrase your response in the form of a question.

[@macdege6754]

@@keithharper32 OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! LOL! MY POOR MONEY!

[@raijinoflimgrave8708]

Lets make it a true daily double. Who are humans?

[@elliotthartup4095]

It's insane to me that these creatures, which look and sound prehistoric, actually died out around the time England was medieval. I never knew that

[@dariusrose9909]

Can you guys talk about maybe carnivorous marsupials in South America and Australia. Maybe Creodonts. Great Channel!!!

[@psihuntr]

Especially Australia!!!! #marsupialmegafauna

[@skyem5250]

They made a video about Hyaenodonts. Creodonts are an invalid polyphyletic grouping.

[@yoursexualizedgrandparents6929]

When Giant Lemurs Ruled Madagascar *50 Years Later* When Lemurs Ruled Madagascar

[@miquelescribanoivars5049]

Its funny because they are the most endangered group of mammals in the world!!! :'(

[@visceratrocar]

I have an idea for an episode: the evolution of endoskeletons vs exoskeletons. Just throwing that out there.

[@bloodsword6577]

"But how did these amazing creatures go from thriving in this ecosystem to becoming extinc--" Humans. It's always humans.

[@crazycatlady39]

We just mess everything up...

[@keidbog]

No...Colonizers mess everything up lol

[@rhysearch151]

@@keidbog Every landmass except Africa was devoid of modern humans, and so Asia, Australia, the Americas, etc all had to be colonized the first time. Every time large mammal extinctions happened immediately afterwards.

[@bug1494]

Humans show up places going "Wow you guys sure did adapt really well to your environment would be a real shame if a super adaptable generalist were to just push you out."

[@bloodsword6577]

@@keidbog I mean both, really. Humans have been driving animals to extinction as long as we've been hafting spears. But...the last millennium has been bad, for aforementioned reasons.

[@charlyluevano308]

Hey PBS Eons can you do extinct fauna of Hawaii because that will be interesting to learn about

[@toeval622]

even the oldest islands are only 10 million years old.

[@wertin200]

@@toeval622That is enough time for evolution

[@toeval622]

@@wertin200 you are right www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150625-islands-where-evolution-ran-riot

[@bobkob]

Moa Nalo !

[@wertin200]

@@toeval622 Thanks for the help

[@MistikaManiac]

It always bums me out when I hear about megafauna from earlier in the Cenozoic that humans had a primary role in driving to extinction. Its just like WHYYY I WANT TO SEE THESE THINGS WALKING AROUND TODAY

[@fenrirgg]

People will feel the same about elephants, rhinos, pangolins, etc. In the near future 😕

[@MdSolehin]

Everytime I watch something lemur related, the song I like to move it move it keeps playing in my head!!

[@WickedWildlife]

How about a video on the divergence of South American va Australian marsupials Most people don’t realise 1/3 of all marsupials are found in South America!

[@keithharper32]

what might be interesting is what links those two populations: Antarctica. Sadly, I'm sure the fossil record for there is too sparse to make a video out of.

[@inquisitivefrog4554]

WW: 1/3 of marsupials live in SA. Me: No way. That’s made up. *googles it Me: nm he’s right.

[@andrewgan557]

@@inquisitivefrog4554 and they are classified into 3 groups: the opossums, the shrew opussums and the monito de monte.

[@engr.enciso]

WOAW, this blew my mind off I never knew that

[@martinalberter6369]

They also probably evolved in North America to begin with.

[@ian_b]

Remembering the most unusual government in modern history. The Parliament Of Giant Lemurs is remembered as "legislatively ineffectual, but undeniably cute".

[@Nmethyltransferase]

Archaeoindris: "Hi. I'm a sloth!" Paleontologist: "Ugh... Don't start _that_ again!"

[@LetsTakeWalk]

The lemurs got smaller, but they still rule Madagascar.

[@RedSquirrelHunter]

They didn't get smaller but the larger ones died out.

[@Predation_records]

Im pretty sure that the nile crocodile rules madagascar

[@sheamartin8786]

500 years ago?? that's so recent!

[@ottodude555]

When you said "a thousand years ago" I had to pause and back up to make sure I heard it right. FIVE HUNDRED YEARS, WTF

[@cintronproductions9430]

I wonder if there were giant fossas that preyed on them.

[@255ad]

yep en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptoprocta_spelea

[@simonj3413]

@Cintrón Productions there actually was a relative of the modern fossa known as Cryptoprocta spelea that lived alongside giant lemurs and certainly preyed on some of them. It is also thought to have hunted in small groups when taking down big game.

[@maxxgunner5573]

Fossa hungry, fossa eat.

[@Thejghostodst]

ur right

[@MongoIndyleo]

So why is there a giant hole in Madgascar's fossil record?

[@angel1895]

Yes! This wasnt addressed and I'd really like to hear more about it

[@catorb6607]

Nobody knows really, that's why they didn't say

[@MongoIndyleo]

@@catorb6607 Well there have to be some theories right?

[@greensteve9307]

Suggestion: The right conditions didn't exist for fossils to form.

[@steveschutte4990]

They just haven't found any yet.

[@DenshiMoe]

Oh my. I always see new PBS Eons videos whenever I am about to sleep...

[@ceresvonbek9228]

lots of excellent lemur footage in this one. every other eons vid I get a new favorite animal.

[@skfalpink123]

I can't thank you enough for producing these fabulous and engaging films.

[@flintandball6093]

Requesting an episode of the evolution of monotreme's please

[@adamholder4241]

I'm super interested in bees. Can you please make a video about prehistoric bees?

[@stegotyranno4206]

He used to move it move it, He used to move it move it, he used to... MOVE IT Madagascar 4 in theaters only

[@epauletshark3793]

That's Madagascar -3

[@misterglennhood5938]

Was there a small antelope on Madagascar that evaded predators by diving into a pool of water and staying submerged for 30 seconds ? I have a memory of seeing that decades ago , but it may have been something I dreamed after some good weed and while Richard Attenborogh's voice was on the TV .

[@maxcklein]

But did they like to move it?

[@reggietheporpoise]

You guys have quickly become one of my favorite channels. Thanks for the consistently amazing content! Can I throw a request in for a future video? The split between monotremes, placentals, and marsupials; and which factors in early mammalian evolution played a role in selecting for (and shaping) each.

[@robertthorne3429]

I’ve been waiting years to find a proper show about the giant lemurs of Madagascar!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

[@milky_wayan]

i love Madagascar lol. it's like an 85 million year old Galapagos the size of a small continent

[@ajaxtelamonian5134]

And has actually unique and interesting large-ish animals.

[@vjhardrock]

This channel is one of the best things happened to KZbin

[@OsirisLord]

Koala bears are not bears and koala lemurs are not koalas. You get that?

[@fun2building]

Yeah, you're saying lemur bears aren't lemurs, right

[@Timelord299]

daz stupid. It's like saying mountain lions aren't mountains. Ur dum

[@usagi2934]

@@Timelord299 not really since mountains are not a species of animal

[@caleb5234]

What!? King Julian WASNT a giant lemur!? I feel lied to.

[@manueldejesusrojassandi3919]

I swear, the more I learn about Pleistocene extinctions the more I blame humans for the great megafauna extinctions. . .

[@LemurWhoSpoke]

We were an invasive species back then. Our tribal ancestors were no different from the big cats that eventually invaded South America when the two continents joined. We just went further. Just don't compare what we did then with what we're doing now. They are fundamentally different phenomena. In the former case *humans* were an invasive species. In the latter, *civilized humans* have been acting as though the earth was made for them.

[@cdemr]

Hope in Madagascar there 4 will be king julian travelling back in time and encountering giant ancient lemurs

[@morganduda3274]

Fun fact: recent evidence suggests that the dwarf hippos held on until around 200 years ago

[@Abominatrix650]

I don't think I've ever stopped to tell this channel how much I love it. Because I do. A lot. Thank you for all of your wonderful content. You were an answer to a massive prehistory void that has been with me since they stopped releasing prehistory documentaries on TV. I love you, PBS Eons.

[@MikeWazowskixxx]

Other animals formerly from Madagascar include the voay (a giant horned crocodile) Aepyornis (the biggest bird that ever lived) & Malagasy hippos (more terrestrial than their cousins

[@rudolphantler6309]

*Guys do a video about Acrocanthosaurus!!*

[@lordgarion514]

Maybe the thorns evolved to protect the plant while it was dormant. It should be advantageous to not need to start growing from the ground every time the rain comes because an animal stepped on them, and they were dry and brittle.

[@hollyodii5969]

Megafauna are always really fascinating! Thank you Eons!

[@danielgreen2788]

beautiful animals ,miss them all!!

[@cthulhufhtagn2483]

Me: Sloth lemurs. Cute! Eons: Here's a picture of _Archaeoindris_ . Me: HOLY BEJEEZEZ IT'S AS BIG AS A CAR!

[@LeapyGeck]

Plant : i am very spiky , do not eat me Lemur : *how bout i do anyway*

[@Orion225]

I wish i could go back in time and watch these giant creatures roaming around. 😢

[@ayane2234]

You should do a video on the evolution of marsupials!

[@nabielw]

Okay, what?? Elephant Birds???!?!?!?!?!?!

[@imaginanalyst3317]

I appreciate the lemuresque ambient music! Keep up the excellent and fun work, you guys! Also, I want to hear about why jellyfish haven't changed or gone extinct in like 400 million years.

[@AlishN7]

Still waiting on an episode about the evolution of pinnipeds :) please make one! They are adorkable, and I don't think I know anything about their evolutionary history!

[@jackmills7758]

We should start calling the small aye-aye an "aye-aye" and call the large one an "AYE-AYE" xD

[@aceeverwoode1541]

It always makes me sad when they say "Went extinct 1000 years ago" give or take a couple hundred, especially with megafauna, because if they'd hung on a little longer I might've been able to marvel at them in person instead of looking at a couple bones and a drawing, which is still cool, but arguably the other option is MUCH cooler.

[@_DiJiT]

I can't wait to get my Eons Pin! I've been really loving this show thank you so much and keep making great content!

[@connorlightfoot4290]

Love this channel keep up the great work as always

[@collinsmilgo8869]

Humans to Animals throughout the ages: That's a nice habitat you got there.......be a shame if someone...... destroyed it.

[@biglil771]

African mega fauna with Natodomeri lion PLEASE!!!

[@fasaughavas4892]

There is still one breed of lemur living in the spiny forest: Verreaux's sifaka, feeding on the young leaves between the spines

[@chicorish_]

They knew exactly what they were doing when they picked this title

[@malikaivillatte9065]

Bookworm 678 what were they doing ?

[@THEE.apples]

@@malikaivillatte9065 "Ruled" is basically in reference to King Julian.

[@TheSeldamoo]

They like to move it move it They like to move it move it.... Haha

[@nojorooney]

Modern lemurs: I can’t eat those plants, they are too spiny. Giant monkey and Koala lemurs: hold our beers.

[@nicolaslara2041]

It’s also worth noting that there are still Baobab trees (which can live up to 3,000 years) which have been around since the time the giant lemurs went extinct. And they relied on the giant lemurs to disperse the seeds from their fruit pods since they were the only animals that could. But now without the giant lemurs, the Baobabs are in danger.

[@chattychatotchannel]

There's a baobab species in Australia too :D it's pollinated by hawk moths

[@fabiolg6719]

Thanks for the video. Finally someone talks about those amazing animals.

[@elliottotbc]

Just done some research on Spinosaurid evolution. Now I have something to go to sleep to

[@marjorie8109]

Thank you for making such amazing videos, this one was fun to watch :) I love learning about all the cool animals from the past and I'm always happy to watch the videos you create, thank you so much!

[@nicole5506]

Love this! Thank you

[@joejohns3543]

I love you Eons! I have 4 pins coming.

[@matthewjenkins7367]

Another incredibly informative video on a topic I wasn’t expecting! Idea for a new video - maybe look at ceratopsian dinosaurs and their diverse horn/frill assortments?

[@jcortese3300]

I love this -- I love how you guys make things I would normally never have thought twice about fascinating. :-)

[@bigbadguy7050]

Can you guys do a video on the Australian megafauna?

[@nicksummers5101]

Madagascar is interesting, aside lemurs there are also tenrecs and fossas. Hopefully, the latter two will be covered as well.

[@Xnaut314]

The giant gap of a missing fossil record for the vast majority of the Cenozoic is the most deceptively mysterious part about this. Not all environments are equally likely to preserve bodies as fossils, but not even trace fossils either? That's the real question here.

[@martink9701]

No mention of the giant fossa and the Malagasy croc, otherwise great video.

[@anisamoreno49]

Pushed thumbs up and just started watching. I know it will be great! I look forward to the upload every week!

[@carlosrubio-valdez1681]

Your background music

[@mykelbrinkerhoff7550]

I was going to message y'all about doing this video after I went to the Duke Lemur Center!!! So excited to see this video.

[@SuperYandere]

"sleeping the day away in small groups inside hollowed out trees" - that sounds like the life, sign me up

[@chriskelvin248]

Three things: 1) Great episode! Madagascar is so mysterious! 2) Noticed the music/ synthy stuff panning left to right in a pleasingly-lush way. Thanks sound person! 3) Raft-theory of new species seeding to islands makes more sense to me today. Imagine a big lahar running down an East African jungle valley into the ocean, sweeping away trees still occupied by bewildered critters. Or a retreating tsunami sucking away victims clinging onto anything afloat. Surely most creatures would perish, but now and then capricious mother nature could deliver refugees to another shore. Especially primates would benefit from this form of relocation- they seem to have a propensity to procreate after a stressful event, lol. Go primates!

[@clairebear2741]

i feel like they pay a lot of attention to the music and i appreciate it it's a nice touch

[@McShag420]

I certainly hope it is totally illegal to kill any lemurs in Madagascar. Such awesome little guys! Somewhat like marsupials in Australia...

[@MaicoWeites]

Always exciting to see another great video of yours. I'd love one on the evolution of social insects. Or the evolution of butterflies or flowering plants. Actually, anything will satisfy me.

[@micahspruth-janssen3138]

:-) enjoyed the video material along with the usual illustrations!

[@huntercool2232]

(Millions of Years Ago) Lemur: **sleeps in hollow log that gets swept out to sea and washes up on Madagascar** Lemur: **wakes up** “Where the heck am I?”

[@snoop4470]

Ya another awesome video!

[@MystifiedBeef]

The Malagasy Dwarf Hippo is now believed to have died 200 years ago as the TV series Extinct or Alive found a skull that is less than 200 years old.

[@muhammaddanishb.noraffendi2830]

Extinct since 1000 year ago

[@mamapossum6508]

Crazy to think that these guys were giants at one point considering I just saw a pet ring tailed lemur at the vets office with a diaper and a harness on. It was sad :/

[@boringbreaker]

I don't know why I am so sad that giant lemur was gone just 500 years ago.

[@jmkirk15]

I love this channel!

[@christybrandt9419]

I absolutely love lemurs, especially the Indri and I love this channel.. I just subbed 👍👍

[@andyjay729]

You don't have to go to Madagascar to see evolutionary relic trees. In New York City and elsewhere on the US east coast, you can find spines on the trunks of the honey locust tree. The trees developed those spines to fend off the long-gone woolly mammoth.

[@andyjay729]

PS: outwalkingthedog.wordpress.com/2010/03/29/mastodons-in-manhattan-how-the-honeylocust-tree-got-its-spikes/

[@coryjenkins4179]

Love your videos thanks for sharing.

[@maxkatze6320]

Megafauna in australia pls Cool video 😃

[@cophezzeslangin2794]

One of the best channels in yt. Keep up coming and I will keep watching

[@markallen200]

Thanks Steve!