Lee Richardson Zoo announces the birth of two critically endangered Lemurs
Garden City, Kan (WesternKansasNews.Com) –
The Zoo’s first-ever-lemur baby, red ruffed lemur Mafy, born last June, now has a brother and sister! The pair of lemurs were born on the morning of June 28th at the Zoo’s Primate Forest. Red ruffed lemurs can give birth to 1 – 6 infants in a litter, while 2 – 3 is more typical. Mother Sorsha has been extremely attentive to the infants, and after just over a week of bonding time, brother Mafy, uncle Frank, and father Bogey were able to join them in the indoor dayroom. The boys have been very interested in their new family members but have been extremely respectful of matriarch Sorsha and her babies. Very precocious and curious, the infants are already poking their heads out of the front of the nest box. Chances for visitors to see them become better each day.
The births of Mafy and his as-yet-unnamed siblings were the result of breeding recommendations from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Red Ruffed Lemur Species Survival Plan (SSP). Lee Richardson Zoo is proud to work with the other participants in the SSP toward the long-term sustainability of red ruffed lemurs and enhancing the conservation of the species in the wild through combined efforts and cooperative management of the population.
Red ruffed lemurs are native to the northeastern part of Madagascar. They are critically endangered due to habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as hunting. Learn more about how you can help red ruffed lemurs when you visit the zoo.
