Welcome Lemur 101 Students!
Welcome to the class page for the Duke Lemur Center’s Lemur 101 course for OLLI at Duke! This a virtual class taught through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Duke University in Spring 2024 on Wednesday afternoons 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM EST May 1 – June 5. All details for logging into your class can be found through your OLLI login information that you received via email after registering.
We’ve got helpful information to supplement your learning below. If you have any questions or would like any additional information, please just contact your primary instructor Megan McGrath at megan.mcgrath@duke.edu.
Registration for our July 11 Class Reunion at the Duke Lemur Center is coming soon! Full details and registration link should be available on this page by our second class on Wednesday May 15.
Class Reunion at the DLC
Join us for a Lemur 101 Class Reunion at the Duke Lemur Center in Durham, North Carolina!
When: Thursday 7/11/24 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (EST)
Where: Duke Lemur Center, 3705 Erwin Road, Durham, NC, 27705
What: Meet your instructors, fellow classmates, and the lemur residents of the DLC. The current plan is for a semi-structured, open house-style event, where you can walk along the tour path to see lemurs, see specimens from the DLC’s fossil collection, and venture behind the scenes in the Anna Borruel Codina Center for Lemur Medicine and Research with your instructors. Please note that since this event is the first of its kind, the format is subject to change based on registration numbers.
Who: This event is intended for Lemur 101 students; however, we know that reunions are more fun with a guest, so each student may register up to one additional guest. All registrants must be at least 18 years old.
How Much: $25 + tax per person
Additional Details:
– Please plan to be outdoors for a majority of your visit and wear close-toed shoes. There will be a question on the registration that asks about any necessary accessibility accommodations.
– This event will be rain or shine, but if unsafe weather conditions (including thunder, lightning, or high winds) are predicted in the forecast, we may need to cancel for everyone’s safety. In the unlikely event of a cancellation due to weather, Megan will work with each registrant based on their travel plans to determine the best alternative option, and a full refund of all registration fees will absolutely be an available option.
Register:
CLICK HERE to register for the Lemur 101 Class Reunion
Intro to Lemurs, Madagascar, and the Duke Lemur Center 5/1
Taught by Megan McGrath, Education Programs Manager
We recommend reading or watching the following items to supplement this lesson:
Me and You and Zoboomafoo – This feature-length video adventure—created by the Duke Lemur Center in celebration of World Lemur Day on October 30, 2020—is co-hosted by Duke alumnus Martin Kratt, co-creator of Zoboomafoo and Wild Kratts! Through Martin’s story and so many others, Me and You and Zoboomafoo explores how one place, nestled in the forests surrounding the Duke University campus, can inspire a whole world of impact. CLICK HERE to watch.
Virtual Tour – This FREE virtual tour takes place over a collection of 14 carefully curated videos. Each video ranges from three to 11 minutes long, highlighting each species along the tour path and discussing all the topics that you would see on a general tour onsite at the DLC. CLICK HERE to watch.
Aye-aye Pod – This is the official podcast of the Duke Lemur Center – available ad-free anywhere you get your podcasts, or you can listen directly on our website. CLICK HERE for more information.
Lemur Evolution and Primate Origins 5/8
Taught by Matt Borths, Ph.D., DLC Museum of Natural History Curator
We recommend reading or watching the following items to supplement this lesson:
DLC Museum of Natural History Webpage – This section of the Duke Lemur Center’s website shares details about our Museum of Natural History (DLCMNH), which houses over 35,000 fossils that provide crucial insight into early primate evolution. CLICK HERE to explore.
Fossil Preparation at the Duke Lemur Center – Meet DLCMNH fossil preparator Karie Whitman, hear about her journey to this career, and see her in action in the fossil preparation lab. This is a recording of a virtual lesson we broadcast with our education partners over at Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants. CLICK HERE to watch.
Did Lemurs and Dinosaurs Co-Exist? – DLC Communications Junior Intern Sophie Barnett interviews DLC Museum of Natural History Curator (and your instructor for this week) Matt Borths, Ph.D., to learn more about the timeline of lemur origins. CLICK HERE to watch.
Non-Invasive Research at the Duke Lemur Center 5/15
Taught by Erin Ehmke, Ph.D., Director of Research
We recommend reading or watching the following items to supplement this lesson:
DLC Research Overview – This section of the Duke Lemur Center’s website shares details about our research program. CLICK HERE to explore.
DLC Annual Magazines – The Duke Lemur Center’s annual magazines are all full of fantastic information, but we especially recommend our most recent “Why” issue for behind-the-scenes details about the research program. CLICK HERE to access digital copies of the annual magazines.
NEW – Dr. Peter Klopfer on Hibernation – This is the video Erin referenced in her talk. CLICK HERE to watch.
Positive Reinforcement Training in Lemur Science & Welfare 5/22
Taught by Meg Dye, Curator of Animal Behavior and Welfare
We recommend reading or watching the following items to supplement this lesson:
Animal Welfare 2020 Impact Report – Read highlights from the Duke Lemur Center’s positive reinforcement training and enrichment programs, including links to training clips with some of the Lemur Center’s residents. CLICK HERE to explore.
2022 – 2023 Annual Magazine – This “Women’s Issue” of our annual magazine has a few fantastic articles about training, welfare, and enrichment on pages 36-44. CLICK HERE to view online.
Lemur Veterinary Care 5/29
Taught by Julie Ter Beest, D.V.M., Supervising Veterinarian
We recommend reading or watching the following items to supplement this lesson:
Learning from a Loss – This 2021 article discusses how an aye-aye’s cancer diagnosis brought together veterinarians, doctors, and scientists from NC and around the world. CLICK HERE to read.
It Takes a Village – This 2018 article provides a wonderful example of how collaboration improves quality of life for the Duke Lemur Center’s residents, especially when a low loris exhibits mysterious symptoms. CLICK HERE to read.
Annual Reports – These reports highlight the accomplishments from all areas of the Duke Lemur Center each year, but for this week’s lesson, we recommend perusing the veterinary team updates to learn more about their work and our externship program for Malagasy veterinarians. CLICK HERE to explore digital copies of our Annual Reports.
Community-Based Conservation 6/5
Taught by Charlie Welch, Conservation Coordinator
We recommend reading or watching the following items to supplement this lesson:
DLC Madagascar Programs Overview – This section of the Duke Lemur Center’s website shares details about our many conservation initiatives. CLICK HERE to explore.
DLC-SAVA Conservation Program Videos – This collection of videos highlight the incredible landscape and wildlife of the SAVA region of Madagascar, as well as the Duke Lemur Center-SAVA Conservation Program’s community-based initiatives. CLICK HERE to watch.
DLC-SAVA Conservation Program Annual Newsletters – The latest March 2024 newsletter is packed full of fantastic information and updates about our community-based conservation initiatives and our Malagasy collaborators who make this work possible. CLICK HERE to view any past newsletters.
