A spunky Ring-Tailed Lemur born on September 22 is growing up fast at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo.  The female baby is named Madi, which is short for Madagascar, the home of Ring-Tailed Lemurs in the wild.

Photo Credit:  Fort Wayne Children's Zoo

Madi was born to first-time parents Kyna and Ombe.  Their breeding was recommended by the Species Survival Plan, a program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that seeks to maintain genetic diversity in zoo-dwelling populations of endangered animals.

Female Ring-tailed Lemurs are pregnant for four to five months.  Baby Lemurs are born with lots of hair and with eyes wide open. At first, babies cling to their mothers’ chests, but later ride on their backs. At about six months of age, the young are independent.

Lemurs live nowhere else in the world except Madagascar.  Unfortunately, less than 10% of Madagascar’s forest cover remains and due to this drastic loss of habitat, Ring-tailed Lemurs are listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.