Lemur Couple Does Zoo Proud Again With Births of Camille, Grace

A pair of lemurs--commonly mistaken for skunks but actually relatives of monkeys--have given birth to two babies as part of a Santa Ana Zoo protection program for endangered species.

With the births of Camille and Grace, the zoo now has six black-and-white ruffed lemurs.

About 5,000 lemurs remain in their natural habitat, the island of Madagascar off the African coast. Another 500 live in zoos worldwide, zookeeper Michelle Claud said.

The lemurs are endangered because humans are encroaching on their habitat, according to Claud.

“They have no natural enemies other than us,” she said.

Grown lemurs weigh about 10 pounds and have fluffy black-and-white fur that causes people to confuse them with skunks, Claud said. But their long, black tails resemble those of monkeys, another source of confusion.

Scientifically speaking, the lemurs, which live in trees and eat fruits, vegetables and grains, are cousins of monkeys.

Omaha, the mother of the two babies, was trapezing around the family’s cage this week after nursing the babies. The father, Boomer, was stationed in an adjacent cage, where he sounded off occasionally with the characteristic shriek that lemurs make.

The baby lemurs, which are gray and black with white ears, weigh about a quarter-pound at birth--about the same size as newborn kittens, Claud said.

Camille and Grace, born April 6, are the second set of babies born to Omaha and Boomer.

Bud and Spot, the male and female previously born to the lemur couple, also live at the zoo under the auspices of the Assn. of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Program, which aims to prevent animal extinction.