Gangs of Lemur Island
Among the forests and ruins of Madagascar's Berenty Reserve, four gangs of ring-tailed lemurs are locked in a feud over territory, resources, and power... and often the fiercest conflicts are happening within the tribes. This five-part series places you in the heart of "Lemur Island," where half of the world's wild population of lemurs share a fragment of land less than a square mile. Here, battle lines are drawn and crossed, leaders are trusted and tested, and gang members thrive or perish in the harsh extremes of this intense environment.
Episodes
It's September, near the end of a long, punishing dry season in southern Madagascar's Berenty Reserve, and two troops of ring-tailed lemurs are locked in a rivalry over land. On one side is the disciplined Ruins Gang, strictly run by the battle-hardened Crystal. On the other side is the Museum Gang, an easygoing troop of 14, led by their inexperienced queen, Kati. With no rain in sight and food getting scarce, tensions are rising. Having nowhere else to turn, the gangs begin to cross lines in the sand. The next breach could spark a war.
The turf war between the rival lemur troops heats up as food and water become scarcer at Madagascar's Berenty Reserve. The Ruins Gang's fierce leader, Crystal, leads a series of assaults on the Museum Gang for their fruit trees, but the first attacks do not go according to plan. Meanwhile, the large Raiders Gang remains on the fringes of the reserve, while a fourth troop—the Hangars—have just made an unwelcome return to the neighborhood. Get a ringside seat as new enemies and the ongoing dry season bring Lemur Island closer to all-out war.
The drought is finally over in Madagascar's Berenty Reserve, and while fresh fruit and other foods are in abundance, there is still danger in the air for the gangs of Lemur Island. Kati's Museum troop, which already lost a patch of land to the Ruins, must fend off an attack from the Hangars. Meanwhile, the Raiders have set their sights on the Ruins' territory, but to take it over, they must defeat the battle-tested queen, Crystal. She's yet to lose a fight on her own turf, but her biggest challenge ahead may come from one of her own members.
The babies of Lemur Island are growing and trying to define their futures as adults. But just as these youngsters are finding their way, cracks are beginning to appear in the hierarchies of each gang, and the delicate positions of power are tested. For Queen Crystal of the Ruins Gang, challenges from Claire, a high-ranking lieutenant, have her on high alert. Meanwhile, the Museum Gang and its leader Kati are saved from the Raiders by the low-ranking Victor, but what will his heroic stance mean in a society dominated by females?
Over the last four months, the ringtail lemurs of Berenty have endured heat, drought, and only sporadic rain. The early return of the dry heat has thrown the reserve into chaos and turned daily routines upside down. Troops are ignoring boundaries, raiding territories, and grabbing all the fruit they can find before it disappears. Witness the turmoil up-close as fractures emerge within the ranks and divide the troops, leading the queens, especially Crystal of the Ruins Gang, to face challenges like none before.
