Live Long and Prosper!
Spock, the third offspring of red ruffed lemurs Ruby and Buzz, is the third infant who has been named through the DLC’s Ultimate Adoption program. Photo by David Haring.
What happens when a small group of lemur-loving volunteers come together to make a real difference?
Cindy, Donna, Freda, Marsha, and Leslie have volunteered for over two thousand combined hours at the Duke Lemur Center. All five women serve as education docents, helping inspire the next generation of environmental stewards through each and every interaction they have with the tens of thousands of guests who visit the DLC throughout the year. They are also our newest group of donors to come forward to claim an Ultimate Adoption!
There’s no more powerful and honest testimonial of support than how this $20,000 gift became a reality! As volunteers, these women work closely with us by choice, without pay—and now they are stepping forward to help during a most challenging budget year.
“This really was a team effort,” says Cindy. “We all feel very close to the education staff and were further motivated by that connection. We see them scrambling day after day, feeling the pressure to deliver income from tours and gift shop sales. And we see the keepers day after day, no matter the weather, working so hard to keep the lemurs healthy and enriched. So I think what inspired us was both the lemurs and the staff.”
In addition, a couple of family members joined-in to make the ultimate adoption possible: Tom, Cindy’s dad, and Susan, Leslie’s sister. Both are now fans of the Lemur Center after hearing frequent updates and stories from Cindy and Leslie, and Susan has also been to Madagascar, where she observed these critically endangered primates in their natural habitats.
When the volunteers shared their interest in symbolically adopting and naming a lemur infant, they were treated to a visit with all of the eligible infants in order to select their favorite. The first infant they visited was red ruffed lemur Ruby’s four-month-old male. “He immediately started engaging with us,” recalls Leslie, “showing his mischievous and curious nature… After experiencing time with him, it felt more like he had chosen us.”
Primate Technician Anna-Lisa introduces the group to Ruby’s infant. They were immediately taken with his bold and ambitious attitude, and the decision to symbolically adopt him was unanimous. “We really enjoyed hearing from the keepers,” says Leslie. Photos by Mary Paisley (primary) and David Haring (inset).
The volunteers were pleasantly surprised with how close the process has brought them. “All of a sudden,” says Marsha, “we’ve become this little Spock community.” Photo by David Haring.
After the tour, the group went out to lunch to settle on an infant and a name. The decision to symbolically adopt Ruby’s infant was unanimous, but choosing the perfect name involved lots of discussion. At the Duke Lemur Center, ruffed lemurs typically receive celestial or space-related names. The group considered names of moons, planets, and astronauts, but none seemed to fit. Finally, they recalled a suggestion mentioned weeks prior in passing by a staff member: Spock! “He looks like Spock from Star Trek in his baby picture,” Leslie explains. “He is fearless, certainly has a sense of adventure, and has a command of his environment. He’s fascinating!”
The Ultimate Adoption experience has instilled a deep sense of community in these five women. “We kind of all knew each other,” recounts Donna, “but now we’re all friends. We have this lifelong connection.” Freda adds with a laugh, “We even had lunch!”
The volunteers’ donation to the DLC’s Animal Care Fund will provide the critical support needed to maintain the excellent care of the DLC’s irreplaceable colony, allowing lemurs like little Spock to “live long and prosper.”
Spock’s namesake is a beloved character from the original Star Trek series, portrayed by the late Leonard Nimoy. Photo of one-day-old Spock by David Haring.
Meet Spock!
Spock, a critically endangered red ruffed lemur infant, was born April 15, 2025, and is the third offspring of seven-year-old Ruby and eight-year-old Buzz. He joins older siblings Kitt and Hubble in this dynamic and attentive family of five.
Spock is curious and energetic, even scaling the sides of his nest basket just hours after he was born! Keepers who care for the family have compared him to Spider-Man, especially when he hangs upside down from the ceiling mesh. He was born with distinctive white facial markings that are unusual for his species, giving him a unique appearance. While they have faded over time, you can still see the faint outline of white as Spock grows into his adolescent face.
“He’s clever,” says Primate Technician Anna-Lisa. “He watches his family closely and learns from them.” Spock is also attentive to the husbandry staff, responding well to positive reinforcement training. “It’s been such a joy to watch him grow and come into his own,” Anna-Lisa adds.
Big brother Hubble seems to enjoy his new role as an older sibling! Photo by Hannah W.
While Spock at first seemed fearless, he was soon faced with a scary new trek: free-ranging in one of the Duke Lemur Center’s natural habitat enclosures. Mom, dad, and older siblings were eager to return to the forest, but Spock stayed behind, nervously peeking out at the big outside world from the comfort of his familiar home. Day after day, Spock’s family raced up into the trees to forage and climb while the infant lingered in the doorway, unsure. Finally, after lots of coaxing from his family, Spock stepped out into this strange new world… and loved it! Once he overcame his initial fears, Spock grew just as enthusiastic as the rest of his family to run, jump, snack, and snooze out in the woods. “He’s doing well spending his time in the trees,” says Anna-Lisa, “but he’s still a bit clumsy.”
Some of the volunteers dedicate extra time to help the husbandry staff keep an eye on first-time free-rangers. “I was able to watch Spock this morning in NHE9 as part of the NHE observer program,” says Cindy. “I shared videos of him with the adoption team. We all felt like very proud parents!” Photo by Cindy.
Spock snacks lazily on green beans after a long, tiring day of boldly going where no lemur has gone before! Photo by Bracy.
Ultimate Adoption Program
We still have adoptable infants waiting for names—and YOU could be the one to name them! With a tax-deductible donation of $20,000 (payable in two installments), you—or your family, company, organization, etc.—can symbolically adopt and name a little lemur. Your donation contributes to the care of the infant, their family, and all of the other lemurs who reside in our colony, as well as the conservation of the most endangered group of mammals in the world!
Adoptions include quarterly email updates, complete with social media-worthy photos and videos, and a visit to the DLC to meet your adopted infant. Visit the Ultimate Adoption homepage to learn more, or email us directly at adoptalemur@duke.edu if you’re ready to make a contribution!
Looking for additional ways to support the DLC? To explore the ways you can help with a tax-deductible donation, please visit our SUPPORT US page.
Photo by David Haring.
