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Bronx Zoo Debuts Rare Collared Lemur Twins

The births bolster an AZA-run breeding effort to protect the species' genetic health.

Overview

  • The twin collared brown lemurs, born in March, are now on view in the zoo’s Madagascar! habitat.
  • Twin births in this species are uncommon in managed care, occurring in less than one quarter of recorded births.
  • The species is listed as endangered by the IUCN after a decline of more than 50 percent over about 24 years.
  • Conservation groups cite habitat loss from charcoal production and unsustainable farming, along with hunting and the pet trade, as key pressures.
  • The Bronx Zoo says the infants cling to their mother and have begun short leaps through the canopy, using their long tails for balance.