lemurs are magnetic lemurs look at us with the same sort of brain intelligence
with the same sort of brain intelligence
with the same sort of brain intelligence and evolutionary history that we have so
and evolutionary history that we have so
and evolutionary history that we have so when you meet a lemur you’re meeting a
when you meet a lemur you’re meeting a
when you meet a lemur you’re meeting a relative and when you look into a lemurs
relative and when you look into a lemurs
relative and when you look into a lemurs eyes you can tell that they’re looking
eyes you can tell that they’re looking
eyes you can tell that they’re looking back and the same things that you’re
back and the same things that you’re
back and the same things that you’re thinking about them they could be
thinking about them they could be
thinking about them they could be thinking about you each species that we
thinking about you each species that we
thinking about you each species that we house here has its own species survival
house here has its own species survival
house here has its own species survival plans or SSPs so we keep track of
plans or SSPs so we keep track of
plans or SSPs so we keep track of everybody’s family history and then we
everybody’s family history and then we
everybody’s family history and then we use that information to decide who the
use that information to decide who the
use that information to decide who the most genetically distinct breeding pairs
most genetically distinct breeding pairs
most genetically distinct breeding pairs would be when we breed four lemurs we
would be when we breed four lemurs we
would be when we breed four lemurs we want to make sure that we preserve
want to make sure that we preserve
want to make sure that we preserve genetic diversity in the captive
genetic diversity in the captive
genetic diversity in the captive population that could mean that we’re
population that could mean that we’re
population that could mean that we’re going to receive a lemur from another
going to receive a lemur from another
going to receive a lemur from another facility or we may be shipping a lemur
facility or we may be shipping a lemur
facility or we may be shipping a lemur to a facility elsewhere in the United
to a facility elsewhere in the United
to a facility elsewhere in the United States many times because we have so
States many times because we have so
States many times because we have so many lemurs the breeding recommendations
many lemurs the breeding recommendations
many lemurs the breeding recommendations are in-house
I think all of the lemur keepers and the
I think all of the lemur keepers and the other staff here at the lemur center
other staff here at the lemur center
other staff here at the lemur center live for lemur babies they’re so
live for lemur babies they’re so
live for lemur babies they’re so precious and valuable to us because in
precious and valuable to us because in
precious and valuable to us because in many cases they could be some of the
many cases they could be some of the
many cases they could be some of the only representatives for their species
only representatives for their species
only representatives for their species in captivity and each new lemur baby
in captivity and each new lemur baby
in captivity and each new lemur baby could be the saving grace for their
could be the saving grace for their
could be the saving grace for their population in the wild the newest
population in the wild the newest
population in the wild the newest arrivals at the lemur center are some of
arrivals at the lemur center are some of
arrivals at the lemur center are some of our gray mouse lemurs one female had a
our gray mouse lemurs one female had a
our gray mouse lemurs one female had a set of triplets which is really exciting
set of triplets which is really exciting
set of triplets which is really exciting and then another female had a set of
and then another female had a set of
and then another female had a set of twins for the larger daytime active
twins for the larger daytime active
twins for the larger daytime active lemurs we’ve got about 9 or 10 infants
lemurs we’ve got about 9 or 10 infants
lemurs we’ve got about 9 or 10 infants right now we want to make sure that
right now we want to make sure that
right now we want to make sure that every day when we weigh them their
every day when we weigh them their
every day when we weigh them their weight is going up even if it’s just a
weight is going up even if it’s just a
weight is going up even if it’s just a gram or two that means that they’re
gram or two that means that they’re
gram or two that means that they’re nursing and that they’re healthy for the
nursing and that they’re healthy for the
nursing and that they’re healthy for the first week of the infant’s life it’s
first week of the infant’s life it’s
first week of the infant’s life it’s pretty vulnerable one of the ways that
pretty vulnerable one of the ways that
pretty vulnerable one of the ways that we know that they’re healthy is that
we know that they’re healthy is that
we know that they’re healthy is that they’re clinging very tightly to mom and
they’re clinging very tightly to mom and
they’re clinging very tightly to mom and most of that first 30 days is spent
most of that first 30 days is spent
most of that first 30 days is spent nursing and sleeping
after the first 30 days the babies seem
after the first 30 days the babies seem to become really strong at that point
to become really strong at that point
to become really strong at that point and they’ll start testing their lemur
and they’ll start testing their lemur
and they’ll start testing their lemur legs so they’ll climb off of mom sit on
legs so they’ll climb off of mom sit on
legs so they’ll climb off of mom sit on the branch next to her and then when a
the branch next to her and then when a
the branch next to her and then when a twig snaps they turn around they jump
twig snaps they turn around they jump
twig snaps they turn around they jump right back on or back or onto her belly
lemurs today are actually considered the
lemurs today are actually considered the world’s most endangered group of mammals
world’s most endangered group of mammals
world’s most endangered group of mammals some species of lemur there’s only a few
some species of lemur there’s only a few
some species of lemur there’s only a few hundred individuals left and could be
hundred individuals left and could be
hundred individuals left and could be extinct within a decade or two the most
extinct within a decade or two the most
extinct within a decade or two the most compelling reason for me to study lemurs
compelling reason for me to study lemurs
compelling reason for me to study lemurs breed them in captivity and go to
breed them in captivity and go to
breed them in captivity and go to Madagascar and work with local people to
Madagascar and work with local people to
Madagascar and work with local people to try to protect them is that these
try to protect them is that these
try to protect them is that these animals are our relatives and we have
animals are our relatives and we have
animals are our relatives and we have the biggest impact on their extinction
the biggest impact on their extinction
the biggest impact on their extinction in the future and we have biggest chance
in the future and we have biggest chance
in the future and we have biggest chance to protect them to make sure that lemurs
to protect them to make sure that lemurs
to protect them to make sure that lemurs do not become the first primates to
do not become the first primates to
do not become the first primates to become extinct in over 100 years
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