There’s new faces at the Palm Beach Zoo—a family of black-and-white ruffed lemurs.
The conspiracy—yes, that’s what a group of lemurs are called!—consists of a mother, father, and four five-month-old babies. It is the first time this species has been at the zoo.
“I adore this lemur species and have had the opportunity to work with them in the wild,“ Renee Bumpus, Chief Animal Conservation Officer, said in an announcement from the zoo. “Guests will love to watch these goofy animals and listen to their roaring calls.”
Black-and-white ruffed lemurs, which you may recognize from the movie “Madagascar,” hail from the African island and are considered to be critically endangered, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.
The family of lemurs were referred to the zoo through the Lemur Species Survival Plan, which manages the species across professionally accredited facilities, including the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society, ensuring genetic diversity in a species. According to the zoo, ruffed lemurs have successfully been reintroduced into the wild.
While this particular species of lemurs is a first for the zoo, there are currently ring-tailed and red-ruffed lemurs. They all have their own areas to live and can be admired by visitors to the zoo, especially during feeding times or while they’re sunbathing.
You can see the new black-and-white ruffed lemurs on the primate islands on the west side of the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society, 1301 Summit Blvd. in West Palm Beach. For more information, visit palmbeachzoo.org
