The Denver Zoo is home to two new residents, a pair of rare mongoose lemurs.
This is the first time the species has been at the Denver Zoo. There are only 48 other mongoose lemurs in 11 other zoos in North America, said Ana Bowie, spokesperson for the zoo.
The pair, a male named Jose-Luis and a female named Adrianna, can be seen in the Emerald Forest Building.
The mongoose lemurs are classified as vulnerable by the World Conservation Union.
Habitat destruction is the primary threat to the creatures in the wild. The mongoose lemurs’ range is now reduced to small scattered patches of dry forest in northwestern Madagascar, in the Ankarafantsika Reserve, Bowie said.
The current wild population is estimated to be between 1,000 and 10,000 animals.
Mongoose lemurs have soft gray-brown fur with a pale gray muzzle and black nose. The males have reddish-brown cheeks; the females are distinguishable by their white cheeks.
Bowie said that like most other lemur species, they spend time both in the trees and on the ground. They are unique lemurs in that they are active both at night and during the day, depending on the season.
There are 88 lemur species that survive only on Madagascar.
The Denver Zoo has four other lemur species including the ring-tailed lemur, red ruffed lemur, white-collared brown lemur and the Coquerel’s mouse lemur.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
