Cuteness overload: An endangered lemur was born at the Calgary Zoo (PHOTOS)

May 11 2023, 8:55 pm

A critically endangered black-and-white ruffed lemur is the latest adorable addition to the Calgary Zoo.

This is a major event as it is the first pup of this species to be born at the zoo in 36 years.

New mom Eny (pronounced En-EE) gave birth to the cute new pup last month and is showing excellent mothering skills! The new lemur, whose sex has not yet been confirmed, is bright-eyed, active and is moving around more and more each day, according to the zoo.

lemur Calgary zoo

calgaryzoo/twitter

The pup’s father, Menabe, came to the Calgary Zoo in 2017 and the search was on to find him a new mate. And this was far from just a local search; the zoo didn’t find the right match in Calgary, Canada, or even North America, having travelled all the way to the Czech Republic, where Eny was residing.

Eny made it to Calgary in 2021, and the pair have since proven to be a perfect match. The zoo says this is the first successful pup for the duo, and the first black-and-white ruffed lemur to be born at the Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo since 1987.

Lemur Calgary Zoo

calgaryzoo/Twitter

The black-and-white ruffed lemurs exclusively come from the island of Madagascar. There are now less than 10,000 estimated to be left in their native range on the island. A shocking 98% of lemurs in Madagascar are endangered, with over 30% facing the threat of imminent extinction.

The black-and-white ruffed lemur is listed among the 25 most endangered primates in the world due largely to habitat loss and hunting.

This is one of three lemur species the Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo has worked to protect since 2017.

Eny, Menabe, and their pup are continuing to bond as a family and are not yet viewable to visitors. The zoo’s Animal Care, Health & Welfare team will decide when guests can see the zoo’s newest member based on how the new family is acting.

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