This article is written by PhD student Jenna Pyle, who is studying with Drs. Michelle Sauther and Frank Cuozzo (Lemur Biology Project.). They are doing their research at the Beza Mahafaly Reserve in Madagascar. Really, it’s worth reading. (Click here).Read more
Posts tagged: #lemurs
Trash anyone?
Anyone who has been in the animal keeping profession knows that part of the job includes the unfortunate task of pulling trash out of the animal exhibits. On some level it is expected that a random object will occasionally be found in an animal’s enclosure, due to a visitor accidentally dropping something and not being able to recover it (please don’t try to retrieve the item yourself!). However, we have noticed the amount of trash in the exhibits increase significantlyRead more
What makes a lemur a lemur?
In my last lemur post you learned the differences between them and other primates. But what makes a lemur a lemur and what exactly is a tooth comb? Or a grooming claw? Or a reflecting tapetum? Even though lemurs are endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros Islands they can be quite different amongst themselves. Lemurs come in all sizes from the 1 oz pygmy mouse lemur to the 15 lbs Indri and Diademed Sifaka lemurs. Depending on the speciesRead more
Match that Red Ruffed
Our Red Ruffed Lemurs are distinguishable by their tails. But can you tell them apart by their faces alone? Cynthia is our oldest lemur and our oldest mammal (not including humans) at the museum, 30 years old! Her tail is the shortest. Her two daughters Jethys and Iris are both 19 years old, Iris has the medium length tail and Jethys tail is the longest. But their faces are very similar! Can you guess correctly??? Read more
Lemurs vs other primates
In my last Lemur post I talked about the history of Lemurs, this blog will help you understand the differences between lemurs and the primates that we are more familiar with. When you hear the word primate- you probably think of a chimpanzee and the various species of monkey you’ve seen at zoos. Primates also include the great apes- orangutans, gorillas, gibbons, and humans as well as lemurs, lorises, bushbabies, and tarsiers. Traditionally primates are divided into two groups- ProsimiansRead more
History of the Lemur
Often times while I’m training the Ring Tailed Lemurs I over hear visitor’s comments. “Oh look- she’s feeding the…. Raccoons? Monkeys? What is that animal?” At the end of each session I ask, any guests that managed to stay interested long enough, if they have any questions. Typically by this point they have read all the exhibit signs and know that the cute little animals with looooong tails are Lemurs. But what is a Lemur? The word Lemur-which meansRead more