Lemur Street is a television show produced by Oxford Scientific Films for Animal Planet International which is based on the successful format of Meerkat Manor. The series premièred in the United Kingdom on 20 November 2007 on the UK Animal Planet network with Martin Shaw narrating. On 8 February 2008 it aired in the United States under the name Lemur Kingdom, with fourteen episodes airing until 9 May 2008. It was removed from the air with the return of the channel's top series, Meerkat Manor. Lemur Street was released in a three disc DVD set in the United Kingdom in September 2008 by Eureka Entertainment.

Production details

The twenty-episode series focusses on two competing matriarchal ring-tailed lemur troops in the Berenty Reserve on the island of Madagascar. Along with following the lemurs' battles for dominance, against their natural enemies and against each other, the series is reported to include the first professionally recorded footage of a ring-tailed lemur giving birth. Robin Smith, who filmed several series of Meerkat Manor, is the cinematographer for Lemur Street.

National variations

The content of the UK and US versions of the programme are the same for most episodes, however Animal Planet US renamed the show Lemur Kingdom, added names for the episodes - which were referred to by number in the UK - and renamed the lemur troops and some individual lemurs. The troop called The Tornadoes in Lemur Street have been renamed "The Furies". Furies was chosen by Animal Planet US because of the constant infighting between the three families which make up the troop. Crystal, the dominant female of the Graveyards, has been renamed Juno and her mate Blake was renamed Marcus.

The lemurs

Tornadoes

This group is made up of three separate families of lemurs and has approximately twenty members. In the US broadcast, they have been renamed to the "Furies" because of the regular fighting between the three families.

Graveyards

Made up of only one family, this twenty member gang is named from the fact that they live in an old graveyard. In the US broadcast, their name is changed to the "Graveyard Gang". Sophie Tapas and Crystal's sister and Josephine's daughter.

Episode listing

Media

The complete series was scheduled for release on Region 2 DVD in Europe as a 3 disc box set by Eureka Entertainment on 22 September 2008. The DVD was released successfully, and rumours of a Blu-ray release have surfaced.