Over the past two decades, more than 80 per cent of Madagascar’s black-and-white ruffled lemur population has been decimated by habitat loss and hunting.
So, in danger of the species disappearing from that island habitat, they have been classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, just one step above being extinct in the wild.
At the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, things are looking a little bit brighter for the species with the announcement on April 24 that three new pups have been born to the zoo’s population of black-and-white ruffled lemurs.
The delivery by five-year-old mother, Eny, and her 10-year-old mate Menabe was the first birth within the conspiracy—what a troop of black-and-white ruffled lemurs is called—since 2023, with the now two-year-old Sariaka.
“Every birth of a black-and-white ruffed lemur is a beacon of hope for this critically endangered species,” said Jennifer Goodwin, Animal Care Manager for Asia and Savannah at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, in a prepared media release.
“With wild populations facing mounting threats, these pups are a vital lifeline, helping preserve genetic diversity and offering a future for their species. Through collaborative efforts like the Species Survival Plan, we’re not only caring for animals at the zoo — we’re contributing to the survival of species on the brink.”
Currently, the pups are being monitored by the zoo and have yet to undergo a full health exam or be sexed.
“It’s still early days, so we’re cautiously optimistic, but all signs are encouraging so far,” said Goodwin.
“The pups are bright-eyed, active, and strong. We’re monitoring them closely, but from a distance, to give the family space to bond during these critical first weeks. Eny and Menabe are doing an incredible job. They’re attentive, calm, and clearly know exactly how to care for their little ones.”
The parents were paired through the International Species Survival Plan, which saw Eny transferred to Calgary from the Czech Republic with the hope of diversifying the genetic pool of black-and-white ruffled lemurs.
The outdoor viewing area for Land of Lemurs at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo opens to the public later this spring.
