This summer, we were extremely fortunate to have two outstanding undergrad student photographers on staff — including Patrick Ross, a work-study student in the Education Department (he was an amazing tour guide) and a member of our research team! A senior at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, Patrick left this August to study abroad […]
One of our volunteer Technician Assistants suggested recently that we add a “Staff Spotlight” to the DLC’s monthly volunteer newsletter. We loved the idea so much that we’ve expanded it into monthly blog posts as well! Many friends of the DLC know us in passing, but may not know what led us to our careers or what […]
A stunning discovery in Madagascar: Subfossilized elephant bird bones with what appears to be scarring from butchering by humans have been discovered in the southern part of the country. The bones appear to be approximately 10,000 years old, which would push first human arrival estimates back thousands of years earlier than previously thought! That is […]
The Duke Lemur Center is delighted to announce the addition of Matt Borths, Ph.D., to the DLC staff! Matt is a paleontologist who studies the evolution of animals in Africa, particularly the evolution of carnivorous mammals – including some of the oldest meat-eaters to chase down our primate ancestors! As the new Curator of the Lemur Center’s Division […]
By Robin A. Smith. Originally published in DukeTODAY on August 21, 2018. Read the original HERE. DURHAM, N.C. — Discovered more than half a century ago in Kenya and sitting in museum storage ever since, the roughly 20-million-year-old fossil Propotto leakeyi was long classified as a fruit bat. Now, it’s helping researchers rethink the early […]
Lemurs in Danger: Why the wide-eyed primate is under threat By Laura Pellicer and Frank Stasio Aired August 7, 2018 on WUNC 91.5 North Carolina Public Radio The vast majority of lemur species are under threat, according to a new review from a group of international conservationists. The group convened by the International Union for […]
Lemurs are intelligent, and because they’re intelligent, they can get bored. So, 365 days of the year, the DLC’s dedicated Primate Technicians help ensure that our lemurs’ lives are interesting. One of those technicians is Kate Byrnes, a four-year veteran of the DLC who works closely with Curator of Behavioral Management Meg Dye to provide novel […]
By Lydia Greene, DLC researcher and Duke Ph.D. candidate; and Marina Blanco, Ph.D., DLC-SAVA Conservation Coordinator. Published July 27, 2018. Since the advent of the genetics revolution, researchers have flocked to Madagascar to collect lemur samples for sequencing. Such analyses can provide a wealth of information for empiricists, by asking questions like “How did lemurs […]
