That photo is from a lovely new documentary, with this trailer.
However, I have to call attention to one troubling fact.
“All these lemurs have one thing in common – from the little one to the very largest one – they all have female dominance. The females are the leaders. The females are the ones that make the choices of where they go and what foods they eat and where they’re going to sit,” says Dr. Wright.
We must immediately call for an MRA boycott.
Who will listen to the cries of the oppressed? We must send them an emergency shipment of fedoras!
Thank you for that picture. It is absolutely the best thing about today, I cannot even describe how much I love it. I may even make that exact expression when I am able to find some time for lunch. Happy day before the end of USian tax season!
I might see it just to hear the music, which caught my attention. The credits say music composed by Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo). I wonder if the music represents indigenous Madagascar music. Interesting, and cute furry things.
Those berries aren’t pink.
I despise loathe, hate, detest, and abhor music in nature films. May the perpetrators thereof, and their henchthings who write over-excited, anthropomorphic commentaries that enlighten nobody suffer a series of painful and embarrassing diseases. They’re lemurs. Not disco-dancing Robinson Crusoes.
“The females are the ones that make the choices of..”
I don’t see the big deal. It’s been that way around our home for 25 years and the arrangement works fine as far as I’m concerned. And, my wife, too. ;)
What I didn’t like when I saw this trailer was the whale breaching in the background during a time period the narrator describes which was well before modern whales evolved. That was my troubling fact.
I love Morgan Freeman’s voice but couldn’t there be another person they have do the narration once in a while? How about a woman? Doesn’t have to be Meryl Streep or Maggie Smith(!)… could be Penelope Cruz or Gina Torres. In any case I will go see the movie. I love programs on Madagascar.
‘Cause Morgan Freeman’s voice is silky smooth and makes we want to pay attention to what he is saying
I look forward to hearing about Rich Sandersen’s organising a walkout of the lemur exhibits at zoos worldwide. And adding all the lemurs he can find on Twitter to his non-functioning block list.
Forget about the menz – I’m boycotting if there’ s no aye-ayes!
And what’s that about lemurs being our “oldest living relatives”? I suppose “Primates most distantly related to us” doesn’t roll off the tongue as easily, but at least it makes sense.
I’m confused, PZ, are we supposed to boycott the IMAX film, or lemurs themselves? Cause I’m not quite sure how I’d go about boycotting a lemur. (Just kidding – I can’t wait to take nieceling and nephewling to the IMAX to see the lemurs!)
Ah! you beat me to it. Was just going to come in here and opine that since they live a very berry-centric lifestyle, in this one rare case perhaps females got the evolutionary jump on males…
All these lemurs … they all have female dominance.
So the continent of Lemuria sank due to the mass of all that black leather?
I’ve really about given up on American nature documentaries. So many of them seem to be written with the idea that the audience won’t be able remember anything that was said more than five minutes ago.
Those berries may not be pink, but that just means the women-lemurs have a specific fondness for the colour yellow-orange.
Also, anyone who’s seen the movie Dinosaur knows an iguanadon helped them across the water. Is that going to be in the documentary, too?
There are people who could read the phonebook to you and you’d pay careful attention to every word…
+++
But, but, but that can’t be true!
Male dominance is NATURE! Females are there to look at (except, well peacocks and such…), they are carers (seahorses are gender traitors), males are providers (well, don’t mention lions), males are stronger and bigger (don’t tell the eagles).
Giliell@17,
The idea that male dominance is a law of nature makes me laugh like a hyena!
Madagascar is one of the most amazing places I’ve traveled. It’s about as other-worldly as you can find. Not just the lemurs. The Tsingy (the limestone needle-like formations early in the trailer) are amazing. The people are friendly and proud of the beauty that surrounds them. It’s an amazing place. Go.
The BBC is currently airing Monkey Planet. In episode 2, the female dominated societies of lemurs are shown, as well as bonobo societies. I was very happy that not only this is shown and specifically described but that the commentary also points out that we have a lot to learn from the societies of some of our relatives.
All snark aside isn’t that more or less the case in most species that practice female philopatry? The lion may have taken over the pride, and the stallion beat out all the rivals for the harem. But they could have literally blown in over the hill yesterday. Older females know where to find food and water, where the dangerous predators are, etc.
Exactly. They assume you just happened to randomly switch over from another channel, so they explain everything anew to make you stick around a little longer.