This extremely rare species is listed as critically endangered due to the extreme fragmentation of its population and to the enormous reduction and almost total deforestation of its territories. Blue-eyed Black Lemurs are also hunted and trapped for their meat and the illegal pet trade.
 
Tree-dwelling and cathemeral (active day and night), Blue-eyed Black Lemurs live in groups of 6–10. In Madagascar the young are born between late August and late October. Their fur is russet-brown, like their mothers’. Males turn black at the age of 6 weeks. They are one of the rare non-human primates to have blue eyes.