Animal Care Technician apprenticeship position
This program offers recent college graduates the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the professional care of critically endangered lemurs. This year, the position is especially critical as the DLC has had to reduce its full-time animal care staff by two positions due to Duke’s budget constraints. Funding needed: $48,500.
Motorola R7 handheld radios
These radios allow our staff to communicate quickly and effectively from anywhere on the Lemur Center’s 100-acre campus, including the forested areas. They are essential to maintaining the safety of both lemurs and staff. Funding needed: $45,000 total or $7,500 for five radios.
New computers for animal care team
Computers are critical to our operations, and we have multiple computers that are well beyond their lifespan and need to be replaced. Our curators and technicians use these devices for all animal health and wellbeing recordkeeping, including diets, behavioral observation, social introductions, weights, and medical exams. Funding needed: $15,500.
Professional development opportunities
Support our team’s continued growth by funding attendance at professional conferences and workshops. These opportunities help staff stay current with advances in lemur medicine and research and enhance the care we provide every day. Funding needed: $18,000.
Waterproof cameras
These cameras enable staff to monitor the behavior of the DLC’s endangered nocturnal aye-ayes, providing valuable overnight observations to assess individual behavior and overall wellbeing. Funding needed: $7,400.
