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.
Want to visit? We’d love to host you! Just note that tour reservations are required in advance.
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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Photos from Madagascar Fauna & Flora Group's post ... See MoreSee Less
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We've got something new and exciting planned for #WorldLemurDay2026... Here's your first sneak peak at our brand new blue-eyed black lemur plushes! 💙
These new plushes were custom designed for the Duke Lemur Center based on photos of our resident blue-eyed black lemurs, a critically endangered species with an estimated fewer than 1,000 individuals remaining in the wild. In this sexually dichromatic species, only males match the blue-eyed black lemur moniker, while females sport a lovely orange-brown coat 🧡
This striking duo will be available for purchase (sold separately) on our online store by World Lemur Day (10/30), but they might appear in our Lemur Landing Gift Shop beforehand, so keep an eye out when you visit! 🤩
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/wld26
We have more exciting updates coming for World Lemur Day, so keep an eye on our website and social media in the upcoming weeks 👀 ... See MoreSee Less
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Looking for a fun-filled weekend afternoon during our off-season? Check our our Enrichment Wild Workshops! 🤩
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/onsite-tours-ww
Our Enrichment Wild Workshop is all about the most fun part of caring for the incredible lemurs who call the Duke Lemur Center home. You'll learn about why enrichment is so crucial for lemur wellbeing while you make fun treats and toys for the lemurs. Then, you'll go on a special visit to see our lemur residents (including the elusive aye-ayes) enjoying your creations 😋
Registration is currently open through the end of November and will be posted soon for December! Learn more and book your tickets now on our website 🎟 ... See MoreSee Less
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Did you know that today is World Habitat Day? 🌍🌿
Every lemur needs habitat.
Every farmer needs productive land.
Every family needs clean water.
World Habitat Day reminds us that thriving ecosystems support thriving communities.
In northeast Madagascar, restoration efforts are reconnecting fragmented forests while helping families strengthen livelihoods through agroforestry, sustainable agriculture, and community-led governance.
Healthy habitat benefits everyone.
🐒🌳
#WorldHabitatDay #nature #wildlife #communityledconservation #peopleandnature #MadagascarMonday ... See MoreSee Less
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Some of the most important conservation leaders are teachers 📝
Every week, teachers in Madagascar inspire students to care about forests, wildlife, health, and their communities. In our Duke Lemur Center Madagascar Programs, we partner with these passionate teachers to promote environmental education inside and outside the classroom. Teachers participate in professional development to strengthen their skills and get the tools they need to provide high quality lesson plans for their students. They lead the students to clean up the school yard, plant gardens and fruit orchards, host environment-themed talent shows, and bring students to nature reserves.
These teachers’ influence reaches far beyond the school.
When one student released a pet lemur after learning about conservation, it was a reminder that education can change behavior in powerful ways.
On World Teachers' Day, we celebrate the educators shaping Madagascar's future.
🍎🌿
#WorldTeachersDay #Education #EnvironmentalEducation #Madagascar #PeopleAndNature #MadagascarMonday ... See MoreSee Less
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Looking for an in-depth look at the world of lemurs? Check out our Behind the Scenes tours! 🤩
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/visit
The Behind the Scenes tour is a private, customizable experience for groups of 1-4 guests that involves a look "behind the curtain" at everything that goes into caring for the nearly 250 primates in our colony. Your group, along with one of our expert educators, will check out areas off-limits to most guests, including the inside of our animal housing buildings, one of our small nocturnal colony rooms, and a peek at our elusive aye-ayes enjoying their afternoon snacks. This is also our most customizable tour—if you have a species you'd like to see, a topic you'd like to learn about, or a list of questions you've been dying to ask, our staff will do their best to accommodate your request and shape the tour to your group's interests ✨
Behind the Scenes tours run year-round and are open to guests ages 10+. Head over to our website to book your visit! 🎟
📸: David Haring ... See MoreSee Less
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Relationship goals: Coquerel's sifakas Rodelinda and Johann 😘
Despite living with three rambunctious kids, Rodelinda and Johann still make time for each other! 19-year-old Rodelinda is a confident matriarch who knows what she likes, and 9-year-old Johann is a dedicated partner who is always ready to pamper his lady 💕
When lemurs like Rodelinda and Johann groom one another, they don't just lick each other like cats do; lemurs have a built-in grooming tool called a tooth comb! Johann diligently runs this comb (comprised of the front four teeth in his bottom jaw) through Rodelinda's fur to remove dirt and bugs, ensuring that she always looks clean and fluffy. As you can see in the photos, Rodelinda is never shy and will solicit grooming from Johann, who happily obliges 😝
📸: Sara Nicholson ... See MoreSee Less
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And just like that, we've entered our off-season! 😱
As we move into the colder months of October to April, our tour offerings are more limited due to the cold sensitivity of our resident lemurs. While there are some tours that are available to book in advance, others are weather-dependent and may be posted week-of on our website at lemur.duke.edu/visit ☀️
Looking to make your reservation in advance? Check out our Behind the Scenes tours and Wild Workshops! Behind the Scenes tours are typically offered on weekdays, while Wild Workshops are typically offered on Saturday and Sunday afternoons 📆
Interested in an off-season Walking with Lemurs tour or General Tour? Check our website week-of! General Tours, if available, would run on Saturday and/or Sunday mornings, while Walking with Lemurs tours might pop up on any day of the week ⛅️ ... See MoreSee Less
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The honeybee twins may be almost seven months old, but Melissa and Karl still have so much of the forest to explore 🐝🐝
Under the careful watch of mom Liesl, dad Schwepps, and big sister Hedwig, ring-tailed lemur twins Karl and Melissa continue to bounce about their 16-acre forest enclosure, sampling fresh leaves and chasing one another from tree to tree. Tours have also spotted Karl starting to use his wrist scent glands to mark trees, likely thanks to observing his dad doing the same. Ring-tailed lemurs don't reach their full size until about one and a half years old and aren't sexually mature until ages two to three, so these rambunctious rascals have plenty of youthful energy to expend! 🍃
📸: Sara Nicholson ... See MoreSee Less
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Some recent photos of aye-ayes Aloka, Binx, Ardrey, and Nirina 😍
Unlike other lemurs, aye-ayes have rodent-like incisors that can chew through almost any substance! Our keepers hide desirable treats, like worms, inside of things like wood or bamboo to encourage the aye-ayes to use those strong teeth the way they would in the wild. The steel bolts that you can see in the second photo help us make sure that our aye-ayes' structural enrichment stays upright, since steel is one of the few materials stronger than aye-aye incisors 😁
📸: David Haring ... See MoreSee Less
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