Infant ring-tailed lemurs Mr. Popper (left) and Gatsby (right) were born April, 2022. They are both settling in well to life in the forest! Photo of Mr. Popper by Sara Clark. Photo of Gatsby by Jodi Stirk.
The Duke Lemur Center is excited to introduce two very distinguished lemurs born this April at the DLC. Please welcome Mr. Popper and Gatsby, infant ring-tailed lemurs!
Mr. Popper is Alena’s second infant with her partner, Stewart. Photo by Sara Nicholson.
All lemurs born at the Duke Lemur Center are given a name based on a species-wide naming theme. Ring-tailed lemurs at the DLC are named after literary characters! Mr. Popper was named after the titular character in the beloved children’s book, Mr. Popper’s Penguins. He is one of the very few lemurs not named by staff. Instead, he was named by the Aptman Family, who won the honor in our fall fundraising auction!
Mr. Popper is the second offspring of parents Alena and Stewart and joins big brother Atticus in their forested home. While he spends most of his time on Alena’s back, he is beginning to explore on his own. He has lots of energy and will soon make an excellent playmate for one-year-old Atticus.
Gatsby’s big sister Scout is very curious about her mom’s new “backpack” and is often seen grooming baby Gatsby. Photo by Jodi Stirk.
Gatsby, named after the iconic character in The Great Gatsby, is the second offspring of parents Sierra Mist and Licinius. Big sister Scout has been very curious about her new family member. Lemurs are female dominant, so Sierra Mist has been closely controlling how much time Scout spends with little Gatsby. Infant lemurs spend their time clinging to mom, but this bold little one occasionally spends time climbing all over Scout too. So far, Scout seems confused by the grabby baby, but we trust she will be a great big sister soon!
How you can help ring-tailed lemurs
Send a “baby shower” gift: Make a lemur’s day by sending a special gift in Mr. Popper and Gatsby’s honor via the DLC’s amazon.com wishlist!
Contribute to our little literary lemur’s “scholarship fund”: Did you know it costs $8,400 per year to care for one lemur at the DLC—including Mr. Popper and Gatsby? We rely upon donations from individuals like you, who personally invest in our work to care for lemurs and protect their habitat in Madagascar.
Adopt a ring-tailed lemur: If you want to learn more about ring-tailed lemurs AND help support their care and conservation, please consider symbolically adopting through the DLC’s Adopt a Lemur Program! Your adoption goes toward the $8,400 per year cost it takes to care for each lemur at the DLC, as well as aiding our conservation efforts in Madagascar. You’ll also receive quarterly updates and photos, making this a fun, educational gift that keeps giving all year long! Adoption packages start at just $50. Please visit our Adopt a Lemur homepage to learn more.
A heartfelt THANK YOU for your support —we couldn’t do this work without you!
