Black-and-white ruffed lemurs may look like stuffed animals come to life, but they are actually important ambassadors for their critically endangered species, native to Madagascar. These wide-eyed twins were recently born at the Detroit Zoo and serve as a reminder to the desperate conservation needs of their wild relatives. Donations can be made to help protect these adorable little guys via the Lemur Conservation Foundation.
Caught in the act... of being lemurs!
If this isn't a ready-made donation postcard for the Lemur Foundation, I don't know what is.
CUTE PAIR JOINS LEMUR LAIR AT DETROIT ZOO
ROYAL OAK, Mich. – What’s black and white and cute all over? Two black-and-white ruffed lemurs born June 2 at the Detroit Zoo. The twins join mother, Fleur, and father, Goodall, doubling the Zoo’s ruffed lemur population. The male and female newborns are yet to be named.
There are approximately 215 black-and-white ruffed lemurs in North American zoos.
The black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata), a tree-dwelling primate native to eastern Madagascar, is the largest of all lemur species. A mature ruffed lemur can weigh 8-10 pounds and reach 4 feet in length, including a 2-foot tail which it uses for balance.
Detroit Zoo visitors can see the black-and-white ruffed lemurs in their outdoor habitat between the snow monkeys and white rhinos.