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Happy Mother's Day to primate moms of all species (including humans!) 💐
Did you know that 95% of lemur species are female dominant? Moms most often assume the role of dominant female in a group of lemurs, and the rest of the family will follow wherever mom roams. The dominant female gets first dibs on food, comfortable napping spots, and patches of sunlight, and the rest of the group will move to accommodate her 💖
📸: David Haring (sifaka mom Gisela with daughter Pomona, crowned lemur mom Tasherit with daughter Seshat, and blue-eyed black lemur mom Wiig with daughter Gellar)
Lemurs aren't the only endangered animals in Madagascar, so today we're happy to support #InternationalChameleonDay to highlight these incredible animals 🦎
➡️ wildlifemadagascar.org/news-and-stories/international-chameleon-day
There are 234 chameleon species on Earth, with almost 100 found exclusively on the island of Madagascar! About one third of chameleon species are threatened with extinction, thanks to factors such as habitat loss and climate change. Chameleons are nature's insect control and play an important role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Just like lemurs, their extinction could have a drastic impact on the interconnected web of plants and animals that make up Madagascar's ecosystems 🌍
You can learn more about chameleons and how you can protect them through organizations like Wildlife Madagascar ✨
📸: Sara Sorraia
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Happy Duke Graduation Weekend to the Class of 2026! 🎓
We are SOLD OUT and SO EXCITED to host hundreds of Duke students, parents, family, and friends over the next three days! 💙
📸: Bob Karp (1), Sara Nicholson (2,3)
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The free-ranging fun never stops for Coquerel's sifaka brothers Albus and Aurelius 😝
The best thing about having a sibling is that you have a built-in wrestling partner! Play wrestling is very common in Coquerel's sifakas, especially in young adults like two-year-old Albus and one-year-old Aurelius. Their one-acre forest enclosure makes the perfect playground! 💖
🎥: Abby Flyer
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This is a crowned lemur appreciation post 👑
Crowned lemurs are sexually dichromatic and named after the "crown" markings on their foreheads. This endangered species is the smallest in the Eulemur genus and the smallest diurnal species housed at the Duke Lemur Center. Crowned lemurs are the only species of lemur that will forage in the tsingy, an area of jagged limestone rock formations in northern Madagascar, and their small body size allows them to navigate terrain that is too treacherous for many predators to follow 😱
During breeding season, crowned lemurs are some of the stinkiest residents at the DLC, as males will rigorously scent mark their enclosures in an attempt to court females! They're also some of the most dedicated mutual groomers, as companions will hold one another's faces and meticulously run their tooth comb through their partner's fur 😊
📸: David Haring
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Nothing says "Duke" like a lemur! 💙
Looking for the perfect gift for your Duke grad? Wherever your grad goes in the next stage of their life, a lemur plush will always remind them of their time as a Blue Devil. Even better, all purchases directly support lemur care and conservation! 🤩
Our custom-designed lemur plushes are available in person at both the Duke University Store on campus and our Lemur Landing Gift Shop, as well as online at lemur.duke.edu/shop ✨
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Did you know that male and female ring-tailed lemurs have distinct alarm calls? 🔊
Lemurs alarm call to warn each other when they spot something concerning, like a large bird circling overhead. In this video, you can see male ring-tailed lemur Fritz sitting on a tree branch and calling. You can also hear the alarm calls of nearby females, including Fritz's companion, Narcissa! Male ring-tailed lemur calls sound a bit like a rooster, while females make more of a squacking sound—can you hear both? 🤔
🎥: Abby Flyer
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Coquerel's sifaka Albus shows off his goofy side 😝
Two-year-old Albus loves to play—with his siblings, with his parents, and sometimes just with his own tail! In these photos, he shows off his "play face," which is a signature expression that lemurs (most often sifakas) make to initiate play from family members. Albus has had a big personality since infancy, and his desire to goof off can sometimes make it hard for him to focus on training sessions. Luckily for Albus, he has two siblings who are more than willing to engage in friendly wrestling sessions and chase him through the bamboo forest! 🤩
📸: David Haring
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Red ruffed lemurs doing one of the things they do best: pollinating! 🌺
In Madagascar, critically endangered red ruffed lemurs love feasting on fruit, nectar, and pollen—and they love those same snacks at the Duke Lemur Center! Ruby's troop (Ruby, Buzz, Spock, Kitt, and Hubble) spent a beautiful spring day foraging for wild honeysuckle in their natural habitat enclosure. Ruffed lemurs are the largest pollinators in the world; pollen sticks to the ruffed fur around their faces and gets transported from flower to flower. The honeysuckle smelled amazing, so imagine how delicious it must have tasted to this hungry family! 💐
📸: Sara Sorraia
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Liesl's twins are getting more curious about their forest habitat 🤩
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/adopt/ultimate/liesl-infant
These six-week-old ring-tailed lemur twins are the offspring of 17-year-old Liesl and 11-year-old Schwepps. You won't see dad Schwepps in any photos with them, though, as older sister Hedwig has been very protective over her mom and new little brother and sister. It is very common in the lemur world for older siblings to help mom care for infants, as this gives them plenty of infant experience for when they eventually have their own offspring 💕
Ring-tailed lemurs at the DLC have different naming themes by family, and Liesl's offspring receive Austrian names. Previous infants include Edelweiss, Brigitta, Rolfe, Gretl, and Griselda. Dad Schwepps comes from a family who receive soda names. Because females are dominant in lemur troops, mom's naming theme wins out! 😎
Looking to make a huge impact on the care and conservation of Earth's most endangered mammals? For a tax-deductible donation of $20,000, you can symbolically adopt and name BOTH of Liesl's infants! Visit our website to learn more at lemur.duke.edu/ultimate or email us at adoptalemur@duke.edu ✨
📸: David Haring
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