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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Coquerel's sifakas Gisela and Pomona enjoy a beautiful afternoon in the forest 🌿
Did you know that 14-year-old Gisela is the daughter of Jovian, the lemur who played the titular Zoboomafoo? That means her eight-month-old daughter, Pomona, is Zoboomafoo's granddaughter! 😱
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/adopt
Want to keep up with this gorgeous family? You can symbolically adopt Gisela through our Adopt a Lemur program! Adopters get quarterly updates on the family, as well as access to adopter-exclusive materials, printable photos, and more! All purchases contribute to the care and conservation of lemurs, so it makes the perfect gift to yourself or a loved one ✨
📸: Keeper Sarah M. ... See MoreSee Less
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Red ruffed lemur Buzz and his family enjoy the sunshine in their forest enclosure ☀️
Ruffed lemurs have fluffy coats as an adaptation for living in the tropical rainforests of eastern Madagascar. As canopy dwellers, wild ruffed lemurs regularly need to withstand heavy rainfall, and their fluffy fur acts as a built in raincoat to keep them from getting soaked to the bone 😎
📸: Sara Nicholson ... See MoreSee Less
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Three-month-old mongoose lemur Paloma enjoys a baby-sized bite of apple 🍎
Paloma continues to gain independence from mom Bonita! While she still enjoys curling up in mom's lap for nursing and napping, Paloma spends most of her time hopping around her enclosure, exploring her surroundings, and growing more confident in her own abilities. She eagerly snacks on solid foods during mealtime, including primate chow and small chunks of fruit and veggies 😋
Want to contribute to the care and conservation of critically endangered lemurs like Paloma? Visit our website and learn how your can make an impact at lemur.duke.edu/donate 💙
🎥: Lead Keeper Madison ... See MoreSee Less
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This year, communities working with the Duke Lemur Center in northeast Madagascar planted over 100,000 trees 🌳
100,000 opportunities to stabilize soils.
100,000 opportunities to restore watersheds.
100,000 opportunities to create habitat.
100,000 reasons to believe that restoration at scale is possible.
When people ask whether environmental recovery can happen, these communities have a clear answer:
Yes.
🌱
We are so grateful to General Mills for funding our restoration program for the last 6 years, as well as private philanthropists who make this work possible. Have you heard about our goal to raise $25k for restoring lemur habitats? A generous supporter is offering $25k IF we can match it!
➡️ gifts.duke.edu/lemur -->Madagascar Programs 🍃
#MadagascarMonday #Restoration #Hope #ConservationOptimism #DecadeOfRestoration #CommunityLedConservation #nature #forest #PeopleAndNature ... See MoreSee Less
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Glamor shots of gray mouse lemur ladies Tumbleweed, Taro, and Cattail 😎
Despite weighing about as much as a stick of butter and standing about 3 inches tall, gray mouse lemurs are more closely related to humans than mice! Like all lemurs, these little critters are strepsirrhine (wet-nosed) primates who share over 90% of our DNA 🧬
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/mouse-lemurs-alzheimers-hypothesis
Like humans, mouse lemurs can develop symptoms of neurological disorders similar to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Past research on such diseases has been conducted on lab rats and mice, but mouse lemurs—being much more similar to humans genetically—show more promise for breakthroughs in neurological aging research 😱
In 2017, non-invasive research on the DLC’s tiniest primates has led to the development of a new Alzheimer’s hypothesis. If the hypothesis holds up, it could help identify people at risk sooner, before they develop symptoms, or point to new ways to delay onset or slow progression of the disease. Read more on our website! 🌟
📸: David Haring ... See MoreSee Less
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NEXT SATURDAY: Chat with our fossil team at this month's FREE DLC Museum of Natural History open house! 🦴
✅ Where: 1013 Broad Street (NOT the main DLC campus)
✅ When: Saturday 9/26 from 1-4pm
✅ What: Take a look at the DLC's expansive fossil collection and our exhibit showcasing the evolutionary journey of lemurs and humans!
✅ How much: FREE!
Want to learn more? Visit lemur.duke.edu/fossil ✨ ... See MoreSee Less
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Coquerel's sifaka foraging ASMR with Lupicina and her family 😋
While free-ranging, sifakas like Lupicina and her family love to snack on leaves, weeds, and grasses. Because of their sensitive digestive systems, we distribute browse (leaves) to the sifakas in our care every afternoon, even to our free-ranging sifakas. In the wild, leaves comprise about 40-60% of sifakas’ diet, so it’s clear that browse is important, and introducing native NC browse plants into the sifakas’ diets has proved hugely beneficial. Some of their favorite leaf options include redbud, tulip poplar, mimosa, sweetgum, lespedeza, and winged sumac 🌿
Sound up to hear Lupicina, Gabe, Camilla, and Majorian munching and crunching!
🎥: Abby Flyer ... See MoreSee Less
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Gray mouse lemur Azalea has something to show you... Meet her teeny twins! 💕
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/azalea-infants
On July 21, 2026, four-year-old gray mouse lemur Azalea gave birth to twin girls! This is Azalea’s second time as a mother, after giving birth to twins Peanut and Macadamia in 2024. The twins’ dad is five-year-old Green Bean, although gray mouse lemur males primarily interact with females for breeding and rarely ever meet their offspring, even in the wild 🌸
The two female infants were born at 8.7 and 8.2 grams. By two months old, they each weigh about 55 grams… almost as big as mom! 😱
Through 10/19/26, Azalea's infants will be available for an Ultimate Adoption! A new tax-deductible donation of $20,000, which you can opt to pay half now and half in the next year, will allow you the honor of helping the DLC to choose the names for these infants. At the DLC, gray mouse lemurs are named after plants, herbs, and spices. Interested? Learn more on our website at lemur.duke.edu/ultimate ✨
📸: Husbandry Staff; David Haring (4) ... See MoreSee Less
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There's still time to book a Private Tour to see the lemurs this summer! ☀️
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/private-tours
Plan your visit to the Duke Lemur Center before our tour season ends at the end of September! Private Tours introduce you to the Duke Lemur Center, its three-fold mission, and its residents—including approximately 17 of the amazing lemurs that call the DLC home, representing at least eight different species! 🤩
Got an enthusiastic, lemur-loving kid in your family that is sure to keep us busy with fantastic questions? What about a curious, nature-loving group of friends looking for a fun activity? This tour experience is perfect for any age range or familiarity with lemurs, since your tour guide can cater their delivery to your group’s interests and questions 🥰
This tour is a flat rate of $180 (plus tax) for a group of up to 15 guests of any age. Advanced reservations are required to see lemurs, so book your tickets now on our website! 🎟
📸: Glenaire Retirement Community ... See MoreSee Less
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Blue-eyed black lemurs Lanitra and Malala enjoy some fresh beautyberry 😋
Lanitra, the daughter of first-time parents Malala and Brady, is five months old and a perfect mini-me of mom! Not only do these two gorgeous ladies look alike, but they share the same birthday: April 1 💕
Blue-eyed black lemurs are among the most endangered primate species in the world, with possibly fewer than 1,000 individuals remaining in the wild, so maintaining a genetically diverse population of these lemurs in human care is a crucial safety net 🌍
📸: David Haring ... See MoreSee Less
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