Bonita’s female infant has been adopted!
Meet Leonor! A critically endangered mongoose lemur, Leonor is the first offspring of nine-year-old Bonita and 17-year-old Juanito. She is part of four generations of mongoose lemur females currently living at the DLC, along with mom Bonita, grandma Carolina, and great-grandma Maddie.
Leonor is playful and curious, enamored with the larger-than-life world around her. Keepers who care for the family have described her as calm and sweet, and she has even been likened to a Disney princess—there is always a twinkle in her big, amber eyes!
Bonita is a wonderful first-time mother. She began weaning Leonor when she turned three months old, and since then, Leonor has been eager to try new foods of all varieties. A lively and delightful bon vivant, Leonor enthusiastically participates in positive reinforcement training: She knows that by hopping onto a scale for routine weighings, she’ll earn yummy treats like mango, melon, grapes, or sweet potato! She also enjoys finger-painting in exchange for—you guessed it—more treats! Bonita and Juanito have always been an artistic couple, and the talent has only multiplied with Leonor joining the fun.
Leonor was born on March 31, 2025. As she’s grown, she has become a superstar of the summer tour path! Whether she’s bouncing off the walls, using her mother as a trampoline, or trying to entice her father to play, this little girl has stolen the hearts of our staff, volunteers, and guests. Most of all, she has introduced thousands of people to mongoose lemurs and the urgent need for their care in captivity and conservation in Madagascar.
At the International Primatological Society (IPS) conference this year, a new “Primates in Peril” list was established. A collaboration between the IPS and other international conservation organizations, “Primates in Peril” highlights the 25 most threatened primates across the globe. This year’s list includes mongoose lemurs for the very first time.
Mongoose lemurs are restricted to a tiny home range in Madagascar’s western dry forests, where their habitats are rapidly declining. In addition, there are very few conservation organizations where these gentle, charismatic lemurs live within human care. Leonor is a wonderful, and very much needed, ambassador for her species!
At the DLC, mongoose lemurs are generally given Spanish names.
Want to see more infants available for symbolic adoption? Return to the Baby’s First Year: Ultimate Adoption Package homepage.
