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There’s a new member of the animal kingdom at Saskatoon’s Forestry Farm Park and Zoo.
Zoo manager Jeff Mitchell on Friday introduced the latest addition: a ring-tailed lemur, born healthy earlier this week.
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“Mom Lucy is doing great, and the baby is exhibiting all of the major milestones we hope to see,” Mitchell said.
“We have not yet identified if it’s a boy or girl because we are allowing time for mom and baby to bond and will be selecting a name in the coming weeks.”
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Over the next few weeks, the infant will become increasingly independent.
According to the zoo, infant ring-tailed lemurs typically cling to their mother’s belly for the first few weeks after birth before transitioning to a jockey-style hold on her back. The baby will soon start to explore its surroundings and become more independent after a month. The mother will typically introduce solid foods after about two weeks, with full weaning at five to six months.
This is the first ring-tailed lemur born to mom Lucy and dad Ringo since their arrival at the zoo in 2023.
Ring-tailed lemurs, which are native to Madagascar, are classified as endangered. According to the zoo, lemurs are considered the most endangered mammal group in the world. Their populations are managed through species survival plan programs led by expert advisors “who work together to maximize genetic diversity and appropriately manage the demographic distribution and long-term sustainability” of the species.
The ring-tailed lemur family is found in the zoo’s small mammal house.
The zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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