Endangered crowned lemur baby born at Zoo Atlanta
The endangered crowned lemur baby is the latest addition to Zoo Atlanta. (Photo by Kathryn Grace/Zoo Atlanta)
ATLANTA - Zoo Atlanta has a new adorable addition to its family, and this little baby is doing its part to keep its species going strong.
On April 12, crowned lemurs Sava and Xonsu welcomed a newborn baby to their family. Sava, the female, and Xonsu, the male, are both 7 years old and were recommended to pair up by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan.
The zoo says the lemur couple are experienced parents with the new baby being their third surviving offspring.
Crowned lemurs are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They're found on the northernmost tip of Madagascar and are facing threats due to habitat loss and the illegal demand for them as pets.
"The birth of every newborn animal at the Zoo is cause for celebration, but the birth of an endangered species is always a new occasion for hope," said Jennifer Mickelberg, PhD, the zoo's vice president of collections and conservation. "When we look at the status of wildlife and wild habitats around the world, places like Madagascar show us just how delicate the balance of biodiversity is on our planet."
Right now, Sava is currently keeping the baby close to her body, so zoo officials are not sure whether it is a boy or a girl. As the weeks go by, however, the little one's fur will help indicate its gender - with females being primarily gray with orange crowns and males as a darker red-brown with black and orange crowns.
You can see the new addition with its parents and older brother Chewie in the zoo's Living Treehouse, which is also home to other endangered species including ringtailed lemurs and black-and-white-ruffed lemurs.
The zoo is open daily with mandatory masks for any ages 2 and up and timed ticketing. You can plan your visit at the Zoo Atlanta website.
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