Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo welcomes three black-and-white lemur pups

The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo has reason to celebrate — it welcomed more animals from one of the world’s most endangered primate species earlier this month.

Three black-and-white lemur pups were born on April 6, the zoo announced Thursday. This was the second successful litter for five-year-old Eny and 10-year-old mate Menabe.

The pair’s first successful offspring, two-year-old Sariaka, was the first black-and-white ruffed lemur born at the zoo in 35 years.

A full health exam hasn’t happened yet, and the pups haven’t been sexed, the zoo says. But, the Animal Care & Welfare team are doing daily visual assessments and weighing them as needed.

“It’s still early days, so we’re cautiously optimistic — but all signs are encouraging so far,” said Jennifer Godwin, Animal Care Manager (Asia/Savannah) at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. “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.”

According to the zoo, all lemur species are native to Madagascar and aren’t found anywhere else in the world. It explains the primate faces the threat of habitat loss and hunting, and the population has declined by more than 80 per cent in the last 21 years — a span equivalent to three generations.

Eny and Menabe were paired through the Species Survival Plan (SSP) — a conservation breeding initiative led by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to ensure healthy, genetically diverse populations in human care, appropriately managing the demographic distribution, and supporting the long-term sustainability of the at-risk species, the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo says.

Eny came to Calgary in 2021 from an accredited zoo in the Czech Republic with the hope she and Menabe would help to strengthen the limited gene pool of their species in North America.

“Every birth of a black-and-white ruffed lemur is a beacon of hope for this critically endangered species,” Godwin said. “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.”

Mom, dad, and their pups are still bonding behind the scenes so visitors to the zoo won’t get to see them just yet.

Big sister Sariaka will still be viewable to visitors with the rest of the zoo’s lemurs in their indoor Land of Lemurs habitat.

The outdoor Land of Lemurs walkthrough is scheduled to reopen later this spring, the zoo says.