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Lemurs are the most endangered mammals on Earth
about
Duke Lemur Center
Founded in 1966 on the campus of Duke University in Durham, NC, the Duke Lemur Center is a world leader in the study, care, and protection of lemurs—Earth’s most threatened group of mammals.
With more than 200 animals across 13 species, the DLC houses the world’s most diverse population of lemurs outside their native Madagascar.
Our Mission
To advance science, scholarship, and biological conservation through non-invasive research, community-based conservation, and public outreach and education.
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Did you know that many male lemur infants change fur color? 🤔
In these throwback pics of blue-eyed black lemur McAvoy, you can see that the two-month-old infant still had a dusting of orange fur mixed in with his adult black coat. In sexually dichromatic species, all infants are born in the female color, ensuring that they're able to camouflage with mom's fur while clinging to her belly or back. Around six weeks old, males will start to transition to their adult colors—though many juveniles end up with lingering orange patches for at least a few more weeks. McAvoy spent a couple of months with orange armpits before growing into his full coat of black fur! 🧡🖤
📸: Sara Sorraia ... See MoreSee Less
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Adorable, with gorgeous Blue eyes
What a cutie pie.
Alexa, play "Soak Up the Sun" by Sheryl Crow 😎
31-year-old Licinius, the DLC's oldest ring-tailed lemur, loves to sunbathe on warm days. Unfortunately, it's a little too cold for our lemurs to be outside right now, so we're stuck reminiscing on warm summer days from indoors ☀️
Fun fact: Licinius is one of the ring-tailed lemurs featured in this year's Love and Lemurs Video Valentine! Receive the link to this adorable video to enjoy for yourself or send to loved ones by donating $25 or more to support lemur care and conservation at lemur.duke.edu/valentine 💕
📸: Allie Monahan ... See MoreSee Less
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
I seem to remember him getting into trouble in his younger days. Bumping up against Ajax or Selaucius? One of my favorite memories is big thighs Selaucius slowly walking up to the NHE 2 gate. Boom boom boom. Several other younger lemurs, possibly Licinius, quite fit, squealing and jumping out of the way. The big dog was coming through! Wish I could have filmed it and put it to music.
Sun coma💕
Very cute. It is too cold out.
Looking for the perfect gift for a lemur-loving valentine? Look no further! 😍
❤️ lemur.duke.edu/valentine
🩷 lemur.duke.edu/merch
💜 lemur.duke.edu/adopt
From cute lemur videos and symbolic adoptions to lemur artwork and DLC merchandise, we've got plenty of gift options for the loved ones in your life! Whether you're shopping for a partner, family member, friend, or to treat yourself, take a look at the ways that you can support lemur care and conservation this Valentine's Day 🥰
📸: Sara Sorraia (1,3); Sara Nicholson (2); Aditya Baliga (4); Abby Flyer (5,6); Sarah M. (7) ... See MoreSee Less
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Ordered mine! I put a message in the order that you need to email the promo. I don't like clicking through links on FB, but because the lemurs and staff mean so much to me, I did. Can't wait for video!
This year around the Facebook algorithm has not shown me any of your recent posts. Just this morning I thought of lemurs, which sparked my memory of the adorable Valentines gift deal you offer for the occasion usually. So I rushed to make my donation just now ❤️
Happy #MadagascarMonday! Here's a video discussing some of the forest management our team is working on in the SAVA region 🌱
Forests are vital to global ecosystems, but they're disappearing worldwide—with negative consequences for biodiversity and people. People need forests for building materials, firewood, charcoal, food, and medicine. The mountain Ambanitaza is the source of the sacred waterfalls which people visit every week to pray 🏔
The forest and its waters also support the farmlands all around, which is why the communities around Ambanitaza came together to create a grassroots forest management association. Over the last four years, the DLC has supported the association to plant almost 100k trees, as well as organize meetings with all community members and environmental authorities on forest management regulations 🪴
The DLC's conservation projects in Madagascar are run exclusively on grants and donations. You can support our work today at lemur.duke.edu/donate 💚
To learn more about conservation projects like this, visit lemur.duke.edu/conservation or keep an eye out for upcoming #MadagascarMonday updates! ✨
🎥: James Herrera and Riccardo Morrelas ... See MoreSee Less
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Such a wonderful country I wish our government would help to re forest and guide & help the people so the unique wildlife can survive.
Vital work in a fragile area!
Aye-ayes Agatha, Binx, Nirina, and Poe enjoy some fresh pine branches 🌲
Our primate caretakers work hard to bring as much of the outside world into the lemurs' enclosures as possible, especially during the winter months! The Duke Lemur Center sits on about 100 acres in Duke Forest, which means there are plenty of trees from which our husbandry staff can cut browse for the lemurs. Unlike most diurnal lemur species, nocturnal lemurs (like aye-ayes) build nests, so having a variety of fresh browse at their disposal gives them plenty of options for nesting materials 🌾
📸: David Haring ... See MoreSee Less
9 CommentsComment on Facebook
Do you guys have a breeding program setup for them?
What a beautiful group! I love the ayes-ayes🩷🩷🩷🩷
My favorites! 😍
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Enjoy some lemur kale ASMR 🥬
Part of a healthy diet for the DLC’s lemur colony includes daily leafy greens, like kale or lettuce. Yesterday, Keeper Madison handed out some fresh kale to a handful of lemur families, including Coquerel’s sifakas Rodelinda, Albus, Egeria, and Johann and black-and-white ruffed lemurs Halley, Spitzer, Kepler, and Bruno. The DLC has an organic garden on site where we grow as many fresh fruits and veggies as we can, and we have an incredible team of garden volunteers who help out! The lemurs are incredibly grateful for all of the hard work that our staff and volunteers put into tending the garden 😊
🎥: Abby Flyer
📸: David Haring (cover photo) ... See MoreSee Less
9 CommentsComment on Facebook
Nom, nom, nom💚Crunchy and delicious! Love this video!💚💚💚💚
Wow I wish our ringtails would eat kale like that 😝
I love the lemurs! ❤️
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Free-ranging photos of our very handsome Ferdinand 🤩
Happy early birthday to Coquerel's sifaka Ferdinand, who turns twelve years old later this month! This sweet male lives with his younger sister, Gertrude, and loves to spend warm days jumping from tree to tree in their forest enclosure. Both Ferdinand and Gertrude are offspring of the late Jovian, the lemur who played Zoboomafoo, which means Ferdinand is also the uncle of our littlest lemur, Arcadius! While he would be considered old for a wild sifaka, Ferdinand is just middle-aged when it comes to our sifaka population 💙
Have you met Ferdinand on a Walking with Lemurs tour or a Behind the Scenes tour?
📸: Sara Nicholson ... See MoreSee Less
5 CommentsComment on Facebook
Happy early birthday, Ferdinand. You're a handsome fellow!
Ferdinand is one good looking guy! 🥰
Ferdinand is very handsome
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Looking to make someone's Valentine's Day extra special? Send them our Holiday Adoption Package 😍
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/holidayadopt
We still have a handful of limited edition adoption packages available from the 2024 winter holidays! You can support lemur care and conservation by symbolically adopting Halley, a black-and-white ruffed lemur, for someone special in your life. This package comes with a plush lemur, a wooden ornament, a copy of our official magazine, and a personalized adoption packet for your gift recipient. Updates on Halley's life will be emailed quarterly, so your gift will last all year long 💝
Your adoption fee includes a donation to support the lemurs of the DLC AND our conservation programs in Madagascar! A win-win! Order ASAP for the best chance of shipping by the 14th ✨
📸: Sara Sorraia (ruffed lemur with rose) ... See MoreSee Less
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Still waiting for the DLC caps to come back in stock!
Give the gift of love and lemurs this Valentine's Day 💖
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/valentine
Looking for the perfect gift for your partner, friend, family member, or to treat yourself? Make a heartwarming gift of $25 or more through the link above to order a Love and Lemurs video valentine! Every gift will go toward the Duke Lemur Center’s budget to care for our priceless colony of lemurs, Earth’s most endangered mammals. With your donation, you'll receive exclusive access to our adorable 2025 Love and Lemurs video, as well as a special message to share with your loved ones, some downloadable lemur Valentine's cards, and warm fuzzies from knowing that your tax-deductible donation helps fund the care and conservation of these incredible primates 🥰
Anyone who has given $250+ to the DLC in the past year will automatically receive a complimentary video valentine!
📸: Sara Sorraia ... See MoreSee Less
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
Christopher Pranckunas LEMUR VIDEO VALENTINE
This is such a wonderful tradition! So glad you continue doing this🩷What could be better than a Lemur Valentine!
Do I send it here or wait for my usual email? Thanks!
I don't know about you, but our lemurs have been LOVING this warmer weather 🤩
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/wwl
Come enjoy this lovely burst of spring by Walking with Lemurs in our forest enclosures this week! We've posted a few tickets for Tuesday and Friday, but we're hoping to open up additional slots this weekend if the weather cooperates. Check our website for the most up-to-date tour availability! In the meantime, enjoy some photos of Coquerel's sifakas Valeria, Eustace, and Gertrude, red ruffed lemur Buzz, and ring-tailed lemur Nikos soaking up the sun on an unseasonably warm February morning ☀️
📸: Sara Nicholson ... See MoreSee Less
8 CommentsComment on Facebook
Awesome.
I love lemurs! Great pictures!
Awesome pictures! Great place to visit
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