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Conservation

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An Emerging Threat to Lemur Conservation: The luxury wildlife meat trade in urban centers

By James Herrera, Ph.D, Director of Conservation at the Duke Lemur Center. Published November 25, 2025. Madagascar’s lemurs—among the most endangered mammals on Earth—face two very different hunting pressures: subsistence hunting in rural communities and a growing urban luxury meat trade. Understanding this distinction is critical for designing effective conservation strategies. Subsistence hunting occurs when […]

Eat Me: A Coevolution Story

Eat Me: A Coevolution Story by Education Programs Manager Megan McGrath Let’s play two truths and a lie… 1 – Black and white ruffed lemurs are the world’s largest pollinators. 2 – Mouse lemurs are avid gardeners. 3 – Lemurs spread invasive species. Okay, we cheated… All three of those statements are true, and the […]

A ring-tailed lemur bites the leaves of a palm frond

One Place, a World of Impact: International Partnerships in Animal Care

By Greg Dye, M.Sc., Executive Director of the Duke Lemur Center. Originally published in LEMURS Magazine: The “Where” Issue in February 2025. Although based at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, the Duke Lemur Center hasn’t stayed put! With partnerships across the globe, the DLC’s reach and reputation as a world leader in lemur conservation and […]

a red ruffed lemur looks directly at the camera

Annual Campaign and 2025 Highlights

Read the Duke Lemur Center Director’s annual appeal message and review our notable achievements for 2025! Please consider making a donation in support of our work and impact for the coming year and beyond! Questions? Please contact Mary Paisley, DLC Development Director, at mary.paisley@duke.edu. 

Madagascar Programs Update: October 2025

October Madagascar Programs Update Read the Duke Lemur Center’s Madagascar Programs Update, sent to our Madagascar Programs Fund donors and this newsletter’s subscribers on October 20, 2025. Questions? Contact Mary Paisley, DLC Development Director, at mary.paisley@duke.edu. 

An Extraordinary Legacy: $9 million gift to protect lemurs and Madagascar

An Extraordinary Legacy: $9 million gift to protect lemurs and Madagascar The largest commitment in Duke Lemur Center’s history Written by Mary Paisley, Development Director. Posted on October 10, 2025. The Duke Lemur Center proudly announces the largest commitment in its history: a record-breaking $9 million legacy gift that will profoundly shape the future of […]

Dr. James Herrera Is Appointed DLC Director of Conservation

Posted September 8, 2025. After nearly 40 years of dedicated service to conservation in Madagascar, Charlie Welch has retired from his role as Conservation Coordinator at the Duke Lemur Center. While Charlie will be deeply missed, we are thrilled to announce that Dr. James Herrera has accepted the position of Director of Conservation! James is […]

A family of ring-tailed lemurs near a tall chainlink fenceline keeping them safely in their multi-acre forested enclosure

Announcing New, High Priority $5,000+ Gift Opportunities

Posted August 13, 2025. This year, the Duke Lemur Center—like many university-affiliated institutions—is navigating unprecedented financial challenges due to sweeping changes in federal funding. These shifts have created significant gaps in our budget, threatening the momentum we’ve built in lemur care, groundbreaking research, and global conservation. General fund gifts are our top priority right now. […]