Zoo Atlanta celebrates birth of endangered lemur species

As spring continues, so has news of another new arrival at Zoo Atlanta.

On Tuesday, the zoo announced the birth of a newborn member of an endangered species. On April 12, crowned lemur parents Sava and Xonsu welcomed their third surviving offspring.

Sava, a female, and Xonsu, a male, are experienced parents. The two 7-year-olds were paired on a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. The goal of the program is to manage the population control of chosen species in AZA member institutions.

“The birth of every newborn animal at the Zoo is cause for celebration, but the birth of an endangered species is always a new occasion for hope,” Jennifer Mickelberg, Ph.D., Vice President of Collections and Conservation said in a press release. “When we look at the status of wildlife and wild habitats around the world, places like Madagascar show us just how delicate the balance of biodiversity is on our planet. Cooperative programs like SSPs are in place to ensure that animal populations outside these imperiled wild environments continue to maintain the health and genetic diversity they will need to exist for future generations.”

Crowned lemurs are found on the northernmost point of Madagascar. This is the only place on the planet where the over 100 known species of lemur are found. Although the East African country is among the richest places for biodiversity, it is also the place where some of the most threatened wildlife lives.

According to Duke Lemur Center, crowned lemurs’ Madagascar habitat is likely under 500 square miles and is quickly diminishing due to slash and burn agriculture. As the population continues to become increasingly existent in only certain areas, it becomes more difficult or impossible for genetic interchange to occur. This increases the likelihood of extinction.

At Zoo Atlanta, the new crowned lemur joins not only parents Sava and Xonsu, but an older brother named Chewie. The group lives in the Living Treehouse. While guests can glimpse the bulk of the family, that’s not yet the case for the new arrival.

“Sava is currently keeping the infant very close to her body, but as the weeks go by, the infant’s developing coloration will be the primary indicator of whether it is male or female. Females are primarily gray with orange crowns, while males are a darker red-brown in color, with black and orange crowns,” the zoo said in the press release.

By May, the infant had emerged more so guests will be able to see more of it in the Living Treehouse.

The newborn crowned lemur’s arrival comes nearly four years after Zoo Atlanta welcomed Sava and Xonsu to the Living Treehouse complex from Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo.