The Newest Addition to Our 2025 Baby Season
One-month-old Majorian clings to a stuffed bear during a routine weighing. Photo by David Haring.
On December 19, 2024, ten-year-old Coquerel’s sifaka Lupicina gave birth to a healthy male infant. Majorian was born at 102 grams, a very standard weight for a sifaka infant. Majorian is the third offspring of Lupicina and breeding partner Gabe.
Majorian shares his name with a Western Roman emperor who has been described by historians as “a great and heroic character.” He joins the family of five with older siblings Felix and Camilla.
Celebrate the DLC’s newest edition by donating a baby shower gift from our Amazon wishlist! Food items like nut butters, beans, and baby food help provide necessary nutrients for new moms like Lupicina to ensure that they have ample strength to keep up with their little ones.
Six-week-old Majorian clings to mom Lupicina. Photo by David Haring.
Husbandry technician Jenna, one of the primary caretakers for Lupicina and her family, chose Majorian’s name and has watched the family grow to embrace their newest member. “Dad, Gabe, is a pro at handling infants, as he has plenty of experience with two offspring before,” Jenna details. Four-year-old Felix has been the most involved with the new baby, taking every opportunity to hold and groom his little brother, while three-year-old Camilla has been a little more hesitant. “Camilla, having no prior experience with infants, would watch dad and brother intently on how to hold her new brother,” explains Jenna. “She would touch Majorian several times before gaining courage to grab and hold him. Spoiler: she’s a natural! She is so caring and gentle. It’s ideal for young female lemurs to have experience with infants as one day they will hopefully have one of their very own!”
Seven-week-old Majorian. Photo by David Haring.
Baby lemurs like Majorian aren’t just cute—they’re a crucial part of the DLC’s conservation breeding program, which has celebrated over 3,400 births since the Lemur Center was founded in 1966. Together, Coquerel’s sifakas at the DLC and other institutions worldwide form a genetic safety net for this critically endangered species. Each new birth helps sustain a healthy and genetically diverse population of Coquerel’s sifakas for the long-term future.
Two-month-old Majorian peeks out from the safety of Lupicina’s belly. Photo by David Haring.
