Sometimes best friends are found in nature. And sometimes these friends help the environment. In Madagascar, lemurs and trees are friends. Their friendship helps the rainforest survive.

Lemurs are primates. They are related to monkeys. They have striped tails. They look a little like raccoons.

Lemurs live only in Madagascar. Madagascar is an island. It is located off the coast of Africa.

Madagascar has a beautiful rainforest. Many plants and animals live in the rainforest. People get important food and medicine from the rainforest.

But the rainforest is in danger. People are chopping down the trees. If the trees die, the other animals and plants will die too.

Lemurs help the trees to live. They eat the fruit from the trees. The seeds from the fruit pass through their bodies and into their poop.

Lemurs jump from tree to tree. Their poop spreads around the rainforest. The seeds spread around the rainforest too. Seeds from lemur poop are 300 times more likely to grow into new trees than seeds without poop.

The trees give the lemurs food. The lemurs help the trees grow. In this way, lemurs and trees are friends. They are saving the rainforest. Thank goodness for natural friendships!