Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed two endangered baby
red-ruffed lemurs on April 21. The babies are the first lemurs to be born at
Jambo Junction, home to the parks’ animal ambassadors, since parents Maditra and
Bozeny arrived as babies three years ago.

Photo Credits: Courtesy of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

The sex of the babies has yet to be determined, but they are developing well overall, according to trainers. They are getting braver each day, and exploring their habitat under the watchful eye of Mom and Dad. They currently weigh about 300 grams or a little more than half a pound; lemurs average about 80 grams, or .17 of a pound, at birth. They grow to be about 8 to 10 pounds.

All species of lemurs are native to the island of
Madagascar. Red-ruffed lemurs are one of nearly about 50 lemur species.
Busch Gardens is home to five lemur species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service considers all lemurs endangered. Lemurs are endangered largely
due to habitat destruction. Their forests are destroyed for their wood
and to grow agricultural crops.

Lemurs play an important role in the ecology of
Madagascar as seed dispersers. The seeds can then grow into new plants,
which is important since the forests of Madagascar are being destroyed
at a very high rate. However, they cannot disperse enough seeds to match
the rate of forest destruction.

The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund
is actively working with groups in the wild to save endangered or
threatened species, such as lemurs. The non-profit, private charitable
foundation is committed to supporting wildlife and habitat conservation,
research, education and animal rescue programs worldwide. Since its
inception in 2004, the Fund has donated more than $6 million to more
than 500 projects around the world. For more on the Fund, visit
SWBG-ConservationFund.org.