0533.Art Rocks: Felix Vallotton: 1865

 

Lemur Count Down: Blue-eyed Black Lemur

 Celebrating lemurs in anticipation of the Brandywine Zoo's grand opening of their new Lemur habitat! 

Lemur Countdown: Black Lemur

 Number two in our celebration of Lemurs residing in American Zoo's is the Black Lemur.  Sexually dimorphous, only the males are actually black.  The females sport a coat of many colors from creamy white on the undersides and a white wreath of a main circling their faces, to a burnt umber along their spines that fades to a ruddy roan on the outer sides of their arms and legs.  They are found in the Sambirano region on the northwestern tip of the island of Madagascar.  Estimates put about 10,000 animals left in the wild, but due to deforestation, poaching, and increased hybridization with the Blue-eyed Black Lemur species, they are listed as Endangered.  

Unlike the dozens and dozens of zoos that are home to our first celebrant, the Black and White Ruffed Lemur, Black Lemurs are found in notably few zoos.  I have actually seen them at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska and the Philadelphia Zoo in Pennsylvania.  

Remembering we are celebrating Lemurs in anticipation of the Brandywine Zoo's new Lemur habitat opening at the end of the month in Wilmington, Delaware.

Lemur Countdown: Black and White Ruffed Lemurs

 I'm going to share a dozen species of Lemurs as a count- down to the opening of the Brandy- wine Zoo's new Lemur Habitat in Wilming- ton, Delaware.

Begin with the Black & White Ruffed Lemur.  One of the most common species found in zoo's throughout the United States.  It's is also critically endangered in the Wild.  between 1997 and 2001 an attempt to reintroduce animals into the wild failed.  It is incredibly important to maintain a genetically diverse, viable, and vital captive colony in the hopes that conservation in Madagascar will turn a corner and become more robust in order to provide a platform from which to successfully reintroduce these unique animals back into the natural habitats.

Chances are good you've probably encountered them if you visited any of these zoos.

Order Primate to Suborder Strepsirrhini: We Have Cousins, People!

The result of my current exploration of animals that share our Order in the Web of Life.  These are our lesser cousins.