By Janice Kalin | Project Leader
As of last report, the lemurs were inside and ANXIOUSLY awaiting springtime temperatures. Thanks to the fact that we live in North Carolina, the lemurs were able to enjoy spring weather through the months of February and March and were able to roam the woods and act like the wild and crazy lemurs that they are! Thank you for supporting our forested areas which allow our lemurs 24 hour access to wild areas through the spring, summer and fall seasons! Having lemurs live like lemurs should ensure that we have happy lemurs and allows our researchers to observe real lemur behaviors, socializations and family dynamics.
After enjoying winter outside, the lemurs came inside for April as it was unseasonably chilly. Once the temperatures reached 43 degrees in the night, the lemurs were let out again. They were not terribly thrilled with their brief two week ‘grounding’!
At the Duke Lemur Center, we have 9 large forested areas where different groups of lemurs frolic in the forests. The area that you have supported, provides a family of Coquerel’s sifakas and ring-tailed lemurs with 5.8 acres of forest.
The Coquerel’s sifaka family of Euphemia, Lucius, Lupicina, and uncle Thrax has had a major change. Lucius moved to another family. We are part of the species survival program and our primary goal with the reproduction of lemurs is to ensure that the lemurs have a genetic safety net. Lucius has very important genetics, therefore he was paired with another female for this mating season. The sifaka family now consists of Euphemia, Lupicina and uncle Thrax.
Little Lupicina has become such an expert leaper and climber. She has become truly independent of her mother and is usually the first one to leave the food. She relishes time to leap from tree to tree while mama finishes up her food. Don’t worry, Lupicina has 5.8 acres of food. Even though she has a short attention span for eating, she never goes hungry!
The ring-tailed lemur family of Licinius and Tellus have moved to another enclosure to hang out with ruffed lemurs and another family of Coquerel’s sifakas. We re-located a pair of ring tailed lemurs into the habitat with the sifaka family. We have moved Alena and Fritz, the ring-tailed lemurs in with Euphemia’s family. Alena the ring-tailed lemur was starting to stretch herself trying to dominate many other lemurs. She has met her match with Euphemia. Shockingly, they seem to get along very well. We were starting to think that Alena was a trouble maker. She just needed a matriarch with similar ‘interests’!
This enclosure has become a favorite for our keepers and the relationship between Euphemia and Alena.
Your donations, big and small, all help keep this project going and keep the lemurs in the forest. Thank you for all of your support!
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