Azalea’s three-day-old infants, Viola and Snowdrop, are gently handled during their infant wellness exam.
Nocturnal baby season has begun at the Duke Lemur Center! 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. Because gray mouse lemurs are normally solitary, males primarily interact with females only for courtship and breeding. Once successful breeding has occurred, males are returned to their home enclosures, and females are pregnant for about 60 days before giving birth.
Snowdrop peers curiously at the camera after lights out. Because lemurs are red-green colorblind, the DLC uses red light to see nocturnal animals in the dark. Photo by Abby Flyer.
Viola and Snowdrop were born at 8.7 and 8.2 grams, respectively. By two months old, they each weigh about 55 grams… almost as big as mom! Gray mouse lemurs are the second smallest lemurs in the world, and these little lemurs grow quickly. At two months old, the twins already behave much like adults and are capable of independent locomotion. They’ll reach full size by about four months old and are sexually mature by their first birthday.
The floral names for these two little ladies were chosen by a new donor who learned about the lemur naming opportunity while on a tour at the Duke Lemur Center this summer. The donor met the twins and their mom during her tour and reached out a few months later to make a generous donation to support lemur care and conservation. At the Duke Lemur Center, gray mouse lemurs are named after plants, herbs, and spices.
One of the infants during their infant wellness exam. Gray mouse lemur moms build elaborate nests to keep their babies safe; you can see Azalea’s craftsmanship in the bottom right corner.
How quickly they grow! One of the twins, about three weeks old, sits in a container on a scale for a routine weighing. Photo by David Haring.
Mom Azalea and one of her daughters peek out of a cozy tube. Photo by Sarah K.