Art by lucreziabless

We would like to wish a very happy birthday to the handsome Antoine, who turns 23 today! Antoine might be getting old but he still acts like young lemur. He enjoys spending time scent marking and cuddling up with his pillow pets and roommate Malbec.

Hanging feeders are a favorite enrichment among our lemurs and staff. We used to just attach the feeders to branches with zip ties, but we realized that this was not challenging the lemurs enough. After some searching we were able to find some plastic chains to hang the feeders with. As you can see from the pictures the lemurs loved the new challenge! Although some did cheat by simply using the chain to pull the feeder up to them, others seemed to enjoy hanging down into the feeder to retrieve the food.

Much like humans, the effects of aging can also be seen in some of our lemurs. Jacques and Lucy, both collared lemurs (Eulemur collaris), are often referred to as the “geriatric couple” on the reserve. These guys are not able to move around a normal enclosure with ease any more due to arthritis issues that come with age. To ensure that this pair has a nice safe home, we make certain that their branches are always low to the ground and well restrained. Along with low branches, we also found that they love to snuggle on the dog beds pictured below. These dog beds turned out to be a perfect resting spot for them because they are low enough to the ground that both lemurs can access them without any problems. It also provides them with a nice comfy place to rest besides the ground. This pair can often be found sunning on their outside dog bed on a nice day and are true representatives of the phrase “young at heart”.