The Hindu : New Delhi News : An extraordinary multistarrer

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Tuesday, Feb 12, 2008
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An extraordinary multistarrer

Madhur Tankha

An animal soap opera premieres this coming Monday

In full action: A still from ‘Lemur Street’.

NEW DELHI: Described as an animal soap opera, “Lemur Street” which has stars who are just 20 inches tall and have black-and-white tails premieres on Animal Planet this coming Monday.

Filmed over the course of a year, “Lemur Street” follows the lives of two rival groups of lemurs living on the Madagascar island. The unique series focuses on strong leading ladies, their trouble-making offspring and the males in their lives. It highlights gangs that are made up of about 20 ring-tailed lemurs, both ruled by a dominant female.

The 20-part series is filled with colour and action as roving opportunistic males try to join the troop, babies and juveniles cause havoc and then there is the lurking threat of eagles and hawks.

These social animals are accustomed to humans and every aspect of their complex lives -- from wars with neighbouring gangs and troop leadership battles to political alliances and illicit relationships -- has been captured in the detailed filming.

Territories are fiercely protected, mating rights passionately defended and with predators to watch out for and young to bring up there’s never a dull day on “Lemur Street”.

The star cast of this riveting series are two families -- “Graveyard Gang” and “Tornado Troop”, headed by their dominant females because in ring-tail societies the girls out-rank boys. The two gangs may be neighbours, but there’s no love lost between them.

“Lemur Street” follows the characters in each troop and tells their stories. Beginning in March is the mating season. The cameras follow their progress through to November when the newborns arrive and the rains finally break. For the very first time, a ring-tail birth is captured on film.

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