Zoo Welcomes Endangered Baby Lemur
CHICAGO (CBS4) - The Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago has a new endangered resident.
A new Crowned Lemur was born recently. Zoo officials don't yet know the sex of the baby lemur, how long it is, or how much it weighs.
The infant doesn't yet have a name, but veterinarians say it's behaving exactly how it should by holding on tightly to mom and nursing regularly.
Named for the gold crown-like color on their heads, Crowned Lemurs are native to Madagascar.
When they're fully grown adults, they use 18-inch tails to balance and move quickly through trees while foraging for fruits and leaves.
Mom Tucker and dad Sokkwi were paired to breed, part of the Crowned Lemur Species Survival Plan. That organization manages threatened and endangered species.
The animals are considered endangered due to forest loss, slash-and-burn forest practices, mining, and other conflict between humans and animals.
