- Discover: Research
- Engage: Education
- Protect: Conservation
- Get Involved
- Support Us
- About
- Schedule Visit
- Donate
Search Our Site
The time is now
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.
Facebook Feed
Portraits of some very handsome aye-ayes 🤩
While aye-ayes are sometimes considered one of the spookiest animals on the planet, they tend to be some of the sweetest and most anxious lemurs in our colony. Aye-ayes use their remarkable hearing during percussive foraging, tapping on branches or logs with their specialized fingers and using a form of echolocation to locate tasty bugs and grub hidden within. Because their hearing is so sensitive, the Duke Lemur Center's aye-ayes are housed in an area separate from the main tour path, where limited foot traffic helps reduce anxiety and sensory overload. Aye-ayes can be some of the longest lived lemurs in human care—Poe, who was born in 1986, is among the oldest lemurs to ever live and is currently the oldest resident at the DLC!
Want to see aye-ayes in person? Our Behind the Scenes tour is the only tour during the summer season that visits these elusive nocturnal primates! Learn more and book now on our website at lemur.duke.edu/onsite-tours ✨
These portraits were taken recently of Poe (age 38), Grendel (age 15), and Binx (age 3) 😁
📸: David Haring ... See MoreSee Less
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE LEMURS especially this litttle fella i love the way they tap on the tree in madagasgar also i was a huge fan of zaboomafoo i remember jova i was so heartbroken when she passed i also love the ring tsailed lemurs as welll
*boop the snoot* my favorite lemurs, so wise, yet so derpy ❤️😊
Scott Stapp
Ruby’s infant is getting very comfortable hanging upside down 🙃
Red ruffed lemurs, like many species, spend lots of time hanging from their back feet while foraging. This frees up their hands to pull branches with tasty leaves and fruit right to their mouths! At two months old, Ruby’s infant has proportionally large hands and feet so that he can grip onto branches, but his body will eventually grow to match. Ruby’s infant is almost ready for his first adventure in the forest, so fresh-cut branches of sweet gum and other browse allow him to test out his foraging skills in his family’s indoor enclosures. Safe to say, it looks like he’s really getting the ✨hang✨ of it!
[🎥: Abby Flyer] ... See MoreSee Less
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Enjoy the chow!
Very cute.
Coquerel's sifaka Pax is making the most of her first summer of free-ranging! 🤩
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/wwl
Pax, who was born in January 2024, is the grand-niece of Jovian (aka Zoboomafoo) and lives with her mom Magdalena and dad Gratian. Named after the Roman goddess of peace, this lovely lady gets to explore six acres of Duke Forest with her family. The lemurs are released into these fenced-in enclosures in the morning and voluntarily recall in the afternoon for a dinner bell, thanks to months of positive reinforcement training with our husbandry staff 😋
You can watch lemurs like Pax leap, play, snack, and snooze by booking tickets on a Walking with Lemurs tour! We still have tickets available for certain days next week, as well as through the end of August, so check our website at lemur.duke.edu/wwl for specific availability and more information ✨
Scroll for pics of Pax getting a very thorough grooming session from her momma 💕
📸: Sara Nicholson ... See MoreSee Less
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
This is the best thing to do in the Triangle region. It is an experience you will remember for a lifetime.
Adorabili....... 😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍
Certainly a beauty. 🥰🥰
Happy Madagascar Independence Day! 🇲🇬
On this day in 1960, Madagascar gained full independence from France. The island had been under French colonial rule for over 60 years. Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world and is the only place where lemurs can be found in the wild.
For nearly 40 years, the Duke Lemur Center’s initiatives in Madagascar have been a long-term investment and require strong relationships with empowered local people. The DLC-SAVA Conservation project is dedicated to preserving the natural biodiversity of Madagascar—especially its charismatic lemurs—by empowering local communities to be conservation leaders. Our goals are preserving natural environments as well as increasing sustainability and resilience. We achieve these goals through grass-roots projects, environmental education, and research. Our activities span multiple dimensions including landscape restoration, regenerative agriculture, reconnecting people with nature, and much more. Visit our website to learn more about our in-situ conservation work in the SAVA region of Madagascar!
... See MoreSee Less
SAVA Conservation - Duke Lemur Center
lemur.duke.edu
Miaro atiala, mamboly fiainana Protect the forest, and life will grow The DLC-SAVA Conservation project is dedicated to preserving the natural biodiversity of Madagascar—especially its charismatic l...0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Lemur personality pics, taken by our fantastic husbandry staff 📸
There are over 100 species of lemurs living in Madagascar, varying in size, diet, social structure, activity pattern, and habitat. The Duke Lemur Center houses almost 250 individuals across ten different species, the most diverse collection of lemurs outside of their native Madagascar. Beyond species differences, lemurs are individuals with distinct needs and personalities, and the DLC works to provide the highest standard of individualized care for each and every resident 💙
📸: Allie M. (crowned lemur Hapi); Sarah M. (Coquerel's sifaka Remus); Anna-Lisa K. (red ruffed lemur Ruby's infant); Sarah K. (blue-eyed black lemur Brady); Bracy H. (ring-tailed lemur Licinius) ... See MoreSee Less
8 CommentsComment on Facebook
😍😍😍
So cute & funny
😳 sweet pics
View more comments
Mongoose lemurs Maddie, Clancy, and Duggan forage from their favorite olive tree 🌿
It is getting HOT this week in North Carolina! Our tours take place mostly or entirely outdoors, so we recommend coming prepared for the summer sun when you plan your trip to visit the lemurs. Hydration is especially important—lemurs get most of their water from the leaves and fruits they eat, but we humans need an extra boost, so be sure to bring a water bottle and sunscreen/a hat/sunglasses to prevent overheating. We have a water fountain with a spot to refill bottles right outside our gift shop! 💧
Haven’t booked your visit yet? You can learn about our available tour types and purchase tickets at lemur.duke.edu/onsite-tours. Reservations ARE required to see the lemurs! ✨
🎥: Abby Flyer ... See MoreSee Less
6 CommentsComment on Facebook
Good looking trio🩷🩷🩷And I love the snorts, too!
Omg so cute!
Hello, All.
View more comments
Say cheese! It's family photo time! 😁
While lemur families tend to travel through the forest together, it's rare to capture a whole group in one photo! Keeper Courtney caught this darling family portrait of Coquerel's sifakas Rodelinda (back left), Johann (back right), Egeria (front right), Albus (front left), and Rodelinda's three-month-old infant (clinging to mom). Both Albus and his baby brother are first-time free-rangers, and these brave boys have taken to the forest like professionals, confidently jumping from branch to branch and climbing all the way to the tops of the trees 🌿
While none of the members of this troop are directly related to the famous Zoboomafoo, they have familial connections that span across land and water. Dad Johann has family at the Philadelphia Zoo, where he was born, while mom Rodelinda recently had a granddaughter born at the Chester Zoo in the UK. Coquerel's sifakas are critically endangered, and the Duke Lemur Center collaborates with AZA-accredited facilities across the globe to create a genetic safety net in human care for these extraordinary animals 💙
Want to contribute to the care and conservation of this critically endangered species? Visit lemur.duke.edu/donate to learn about how you can help! ✨
📸: Courtney F. ... See MoreSee Less
23 CommentsComment on Facebook
Love them
My favorite lemurs. Thanks, Zaboo. 😊😊😊
. . . LEAPING LEMURS!!!! Why do they look like they were caught discussing a prosimian plot to become Earth's top primate species???? . . . .
View more comments
Mama Ruby and her two-month-old son enjoy the warm weather in their outdoor patios ☀️
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/ultimate
This little guy is quickly growing into his personality! Red ruffed lemur Ruby's male infant is boisterous and goofy. He's already getting quite independent, snacking on solid food and climbing up the walls of his enclosure. Of course, between chewing on leaves and playing with his older siblings, Ruby's infant still spends plenty of time with mom grooming, nursing, and cuddling up for naps after he wears himself out 😂
Think you have the perfect name for this tiny ball of energy? You can make a tax-deductible donation of $20,000 to symbolically adopt and name Ruby's infant! Red ruffed lemurs born at the DLC are traditionally given celestial or space-related names. The proceeds of your donation will go directly to our animal care programs to provide the support needed to maintain the excellent care of the DLC's irreplaceable colony of lemurs. Visit our website to learn more or email us at adoptalemur@duke.edu 💫
Contributions of any amount help us work to prevent critically endangered species like red ruffed lemurs from going extinct. Visit lemur.duke.edu/donate to learn about other ways you can make an impact 💙
📸: David Haring (1-4); Bracy H. (5-6) ... See MoreSee Less
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
Too cute
Beautiful.
Love Ruby and her baby son!
Happy Father's Day to primate dads of ALL species! 🤗
Tag a dad or father figure in the comments who lifts you up like ring-tailed lemur dad Randy, takes care of you like mongoose lemur dad Juanito, spends time with you like Coquerel's sifaka dad Rupert, and deserves to relax today like red ruffed lemur dad Buzz ❤️
📸: Sara Nicholson (1,4); David Haring (2,3) ... See MoreSee Less
6 CommentsComment on Facebook
They are so cute.
So adorable!❤️
Magnifique photo j'aime beaucoup
View more comments
Coquerel's sifaka Ferdinand, son of the famous Jovian (aka Zoboomafoo), shows off his fantastic foraging skills 🌿
Coquerel's sifakas are folivores, meaning their wild diet consists largely of leaves. These critically endangered lemurs are quite comfortable hanging from three, two, or sometimes even just one limb, thanks to their grasping hands and feet. This frees up a hand or two to reach out and grab tasty leaves from neighboring branches! 😱
Catch a glimpse of these arboreal acrobatics by booking a Walking with Lemurs or Behind the Scenes tour! Learn more and purchase tickets on our website at lemur.duke.edu/onsite-tours ✨
📸: Sara Nicholson ... See MoreSee Less
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
🥰🥰🥰
Great photos 💕
I like Zoboomafoo and that’s a good photo of his son Ferdinand he looks just like his father