4 Endangered Lemurs Born At Myakka City Lemur Reserve

MYAKKA CITY, FL — The Lemur Conservation Foundation, a 130-acre lemur reserve in Myakka City, recently welcomed four lemur infants representing three endangered species.

The first lemurs born this season were endangered collared brown lemur twins, followed by a critically endangered red ruffed lemur, according to a news release from the foundation. The fourth infant, an endangered ring-tail lemur, joined the colony last month.

“These births bring renewed hope for lemur survival,” Deborah Robbins Millman, director, said. “There are more than 100 species of lemur threatened with extinction. Each baby born is a step toward saving the world’s oldest living primates.”

Isabelle, a collared brown lemur, and her partner, Vincent, welcomed male and female twins, Percival and Bernadette. Births of twins in managed breeding settings is fairly rare; less than 25 percent of this species’ births are multiple infants, according to the foundation.

The twins make seven collared brown lemurs born at the reserve in its 27-year history.

Red-ruffed lemur, Zazabe, and her partner, Ranomamy, had a male infant on Easter Sunday. He was named Atody, which means “egg” in Malagasy.

Lemurs are native only to Madagascar, and red-ruffed lemurs in managed breeding facilities often have names reflecting that heritage, the foundation said.

Ring-tailed lemurs Dalia and Goose produced the last newborn. This is the second ring-tailed lemur born at the reserve in six years. The lemur does not yet have a name, as its sex has not yet been determined.

All four lemurs are growing quickly and being well-tended by their mothers under the close watch of the reserve’s keepers and interns, curator Meredith Hinton said.

“We take our role in saving these endangered animals very seriously and are encouraged by the four successful births this year,” she said. “All of them are developing well; already, they are showing signs of independence.”