Four Baby Lemurs Born At Lemur Conservation Foundation In Myakka

MYAKKA CITY, FL — Just ahead of Mother’s Day, two lemur mothers are fostering the survival of their species with the birth of four healthy newborns on the Lemur Conservation Foundation’s Myakka City reserve.

Collared brown lemur Isabelle, and her partner, Olivier, welcomed one baby, while red-ruffed lemur Zazabe and her partner, Ranomamy, had triplets, the foundation said in a news release. The triplets are female and the collared brown’s sex will be determined soon.

All four infants are doing well under the care of their mothers and the foundation’s staff.

“We are celebrating; these births are exceptional news,” Lemur Conservation Foundation Executive Director Deborah Robbins Millman said. “Collared brown lemurs are endangered, and red-ruffed lemurs are critically endangered — that’s just one step away from ceasing to exist. The Lemur Conservation Foundation works with other accredited institutions worldwide to help save these unique and essential creatures. It’s extremely important: about 98 percent of the more than 100 species of lemur are threatened with extinction.”

This is the fourth successful collared brown lemur birth in the organization’s 25-year history and the first since 2018, Caitlin Kenney, the foundation’s curator of primates, said. She added that this is only the sixth red-ruffed lemur birth in 25 years and the first multiple birth since 2008.

“The mothers are getting special treats and extra nourishment, and we are keeping a close eye on them and the infants,” she said.

The families are in dedicated habitats, which allow maximum safety and monitoring.

“Both first-time mothers are providing exceptional care and attention to their newborns. Red-ruffed lemur dad, Ranomamy, remains wary of the new arrivals, preferring to keep his distance and let Zazabe's mothering instincts take charge. With a trio of active infants to care for, she has her hands full,” Kenney said.

She added that red-ruffed lemur infants mature quickly and that the triplets are already moving around their enclosure semi-independently. The collared lemur is expected to continue clinging to his or her mother for another one to two months before reaching the same level of activity.

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Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Lemur Conservation Foundation is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of the primates of Madagascar through managed breeding, scientific research, education and art, the foundation said.

Founded in 1996 by conservationist and artist Penelope Bodry-Sanders, its 130-acre Myakka City reserve, home to 48 lemurs, is not open to the public but welcomes visiting scientists and students studying lemur behavior.

Committed to addressing all facets of lemur conservation, the foundation also has a field office in Madagascar, where full-time staff work to protect critical lemur habitat through reforestation, community development, eco-tourism and education programs.