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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 14 species, the DLC houses the world’s most diverse population of lemurs outside their native Madagascar.
To advance science, scholarship, and biological conservation through non-invasive research, community-based conservation, and public outreach and education.
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Sharing some of our absolute favorite free-ranging photos that our volunteer photographers took last week! 📸
1: A red ruffed lemur (either Buzz, Kitt, or Hubble) taste testing an afternoon snack - Aditya Baliga
2: Coquerel's sifaka Gertrude, looking just as gorgeous as her late father, Jovian aka Zoboomafoo - Sara Nicholson
3: Ring-tailed lemur Fritz, who still enjoys long walks in the woods at age 22 - Aditya Baliga
4: Coquerel's sifaka Ferdinand demonstrating his incredible leaping abilities - Sara Nicholson
5: Ring-tailed lemur Narcissa, who's just excited to be outside! - Sara Nicholson
Do you have a favorite lemur action shot? Comment below and show some love to our phenomenal volunteers! 🤩 ... See MoreSee Less
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
Awesome photography!
I love all the lemur pics.
❤️😍
Happy #MadagascarMonday! Today, we’re sharing an update from Grayson’s trip to Parc Ivoloina 💚
We raised just over $1.4k in donations from lemur lovers around the globe! In total, members of our community donated 99 items for Grayson to bring to the Parc Ivoloina staff and surrounding community—including this rubber ducky! The black and white ruffed lemurs at Parc Ivoloina are still a little unsure about the new enrichment item 😂
Grayson will be in Madagascar for the next couple of months, so stay tuned for more updates from her trip! To learn more about our in-situ conservation programs, visit lemur.duke.edu/protect ✨ ... See MoreSee Less
8 CommentsComment on Facebook
miss madagascar and miss hearing the ruffs every morning 🥹
Such a special place!
Perhaps they, like me, did not quite understand the "enrichment qualities" of this rubber ducky.
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Meet our "precious" newest additions! 😍😍
On March 19th, ring-tailed lemur mom Sierra Mist gave birth to twins—the first ring-tailed lemur twins born at the DLC since 2016. The brother and sister, Meriadoc "Merry" and Eowyn, are named after two Lord of the Rings characters who rode together into battle at Minas Tirith. Merry, like his hobbit namesake, has been the smaller of the pair since birth. They now belong to the largest ring-tailed lemur troop at the DLC, along with mom Sierra Mist, dad Licinius, and their older siblings 💙
Want to learn more about our littlest lemurs? Visit lemur.duke.edu/eowyn-merry to read their full birth announcement! ✨
📸: David Haring (1,2,3,5); Becca Newton (4); Abby Flyer (6) ... See MoreSee Less
9 CommentsComment on Facebook
One ring-tail to rule them all!
Wow, they are growing so fast🥰😍
My favorite animal ever
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Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you 💫
Thank you so much to all of the incredible lemur lovers who bought "Welcome to the Dark Side" shirts to support our internship program! As of Thursday afternoon, we have raised $15K for our interns—including a very generous $8K gift from one individual, which allows us to fully fund a paid internship! The force is definitely with us, and we appreciate every single gift ❤️
If you haven't ordered your shirt yet, there's still time! We will be accepting orders all the way through May 10th at lemur.duke.edu/darkside ✨ ... See MoreSee Less
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
Great news!! I'm happy I was a small part ... I wore my shirt with great pride today
Happy 4th belated with you Lemurs and cares
Navalona Hii
POV: you’re a ring-tailed lemur spending a relaxing afternoon out in the forest 😌
Ring-tailed lemurs Sprite, Lulu, Seagrams, and Schweppes are a small troop who enjoy sunbathing, fresh muscadine grape leaves, birdsong, and long walks through the woods. Mother-daughter pair Sprite and Lulu are in charge, and twin brothers Seagrams and Schweppes defer to the dominant females 🍃
Need help telling them apart? Matriarch Sprite wears a radio collar so that our husbandry staff can track the troop, Lulu has dark orange eyes, and both boys have paler yellow eyes 👁️
🎥: Abby Flyer ... See MoreSee Less
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
Gad Zooks! This family has names that make me think they are one big celebrating crew. And, of course, a mother-daughter pair are in charge.
😍
Prices for Duke lemur center
🤩 TOMORROW 🤩
Good news: we have the weather and staffing to run an off-season General Tour this Saturday 5/4! Like our summer General Tours (which officially begin next weekend), this tour is an open house format, and guests can arrive at any time before 11:30am to walk around and see the lemurs. Because the lemurs' housing needs may mildly affect their visibility to guests, we are offering a discounted off-season rate of $12 per person (children 2 and under are free) 🥳
Tickets MUST be purchased in advance to attend! Tickets and information are available on our website at lemur.duke.edu/GT
📸: David Haring ... See MoreSee Less
1 CommentComment on Facebook
I'm wearing my glow in the dark Lemur shirt that my friend ordered me a few weeks ago! I ordered a second one yesterday to keep just in case this one gets worn to bits. They are REALLY soft and true to size.
Fat-tailed dwarf lemurs 🥺🥰
Lemurs, like most primates, have nails instead of claws! Most lemur species, including fat-tailed dwarf lemurs, have just two claws—one on the index toe of each of their back feet—called "grooming claws." (If you look closely, you can spot one on this little cutie's visible back foot.) Grooming claws help our furry friends clean themselves in spots their tooth combs can't reach, including their ears and noses 👃
One of our species is a notable exception, with claws on all twenty of their digits. Do you know which one? 👀
📸: David Haring ... See MoreSee Less
13 CommentsComment on Facebook
Love the dwarf lemurs….for digits… Tamarins??
Those cute itty bitty fingers! I just can’t!
So adorable! Love the little fingers!
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Happy May! Grendelkin Skywalker is here to remind you that you still have three more days to join the dark side AND support interns at the DLC! ✨
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/darkside
Star Wars Day (May the 4th) is coming up THIS SATURDAY! Celebrate with us by ordering our limited edition "Welcome to the Dark Side" shirt! Donations raised through this t-shirt promotion will go directly toward the DLC Internship Program, supporting student opportunities that equip the next generation of environmental stewards with hands-on experience and mentorship. The DLC summer internship program is a transformative experience for undergraduate students, providing practical training in field research, husbandry, animal welfare, environmental education, science communications, and fossil collection management. The students who come from all over the country to participate in the ten-week program are passionate about exploring careers in the field and contributing to the mission of the DLC 🌱
“Dark Side” t-shirt sales will go directly towards funding positions for future DLC interns. With your help, we will bring more students to the “Dark Side”! Visit lemur.duke.edu/darkside to learn more and order now (free shipping on us!) 🌙 ... See MoreSee Less
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Y'all have fun!!
Great news: our lemurs moved out to their summer tour path housing this morning! 🌇
Our silo housing along our General Tour path allows our lemur pairs plenty of fresh air, vertical space to climb, and structural enrichment to explore! For experienced pairs like crowned lemur brothers Nedjem and Shezmu and ring-tailed lemur siblings Berisades and Persephone, returning to the silos involves lot of scent marking to reestablish territory. And for new pairs like mongoose lemurs Bonita and Juanito, it’s a whole new world! 💙
Want to visit the lemurs this summer? Be sure to book tickets on our website at lemur.duke.edu/onsite-tours in advance! Tickets for May and June are already available, and tickets for July will be posted next Tuesday (May 7th) at 11 AM ET 🤗
🎥: Abby Flyer ... See MoreSee Less
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
I'm thinking of making the trek there in end of July or early August .. are those good months to visit the center? Also, can I take more than one tour per day? I was thinking a Private Tour and a Lemur Path Tour and then the next day the Behind-the-Scenes tour.
I have got to come see all these amazing and beautiful babies soon!❤️
They are so beautiful ❤️
Chasing off the Sunday scaries with red ruffed lemur Buzz 💐
This young dad lives with breeding partner Ruby and their two-year-old twins, Kitt and Hubble. Buzz is a sweetheart who enjoys snacking on tasty flowers, finger painting with his family, and lounging in the summer sun 🌤
📸: Anna-Lisa K. ... See MoreSee Less
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
"shoosh! Be very, very quiet. I'm hunting Heffer lumps and woozles!" 🤫🥰😎
Happy Sunday, you handsome guy!! Buzz, I hope you and your family are enjoying a lovely day❤️
What a great family.