Cute Pair Joins Lemur Lair at Detroit Zoo
Jul 9, 2009ROYAL OAK, Mich. – What’s black and white and cute all over? Two black-and-white ruffed lemurs born June 2 at the Detroit Zoo. The twins join mother, Fleur, and father, Goodall, doubling the Zoo’s ruffed lemur population. The male and female newborns are yet to be named.
“Black-and-white ruffed lemurs are a critically endangered species from one of the most at-risk habitats on earth. These babies are a welcome addition to a small population of captive lemurs that could help keep this species from extinction,” said Director of Conservation and Animal Welfare Scott Carter.
The Truth About Lemurs
There are approximately 215 black-and-white ruffed lemurs in North American zoos.
The black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata), a tree-dwelling primate native to eastern Madagascar, is the largest of all lemur species. A mature ruffed lemur can weigh 8-10 pounds and reach 4 feet in length, including a 2-foot tail which it uses for balance.
Detroit Zoo visitors can see the black-and-white ruffed lemurs in their outdoor habitat between the snow monkeys and white rhinos.
About The Detroit Zoo
The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak. The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October (open at 9 a.m. May 1 through Labor Day) – with extended hours until 8 p.m. Wednesdays during July and August – and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March. Admission is $11 for adults 15 to 61, $9 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7 for children ages 2 to 14; children under 2 are free. For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. Admission is free. For more information, call (313) 852-4056.
CONTACT
Patricia Janeway
248.541.5717x.3731
pjaneway@dzs.org
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