AssetID: 55896645
Headline: Twin critically endangered lemurs make public debut at New York zoo
Caption: Twin critically endangered black-and-white ruffed lemurs have made their public debut after being born at New York's Central Park Zoo. The fraternal twins, a male named Maso and a female called Tonga, were born on April 5 and can now be seen exploring the zoo's Tropic Zone exhibit. Native to the rainforests of eastern Madagascar, black-and-white ruffed lemurs are listed as Critically Endangered, with wild populations having declined by more than 80 per cent due to habitat loss and poaching. The twins were born as part of an internationally managed breeding programme designed to protect the species' long-term future. Since first welcoming black-and-white ruffed lemurs in 2008, Central Park Zoo has celebrated the birth of eight youngsters. Unlike most primates, ruffed lemurs usually have more than one baby at a time, and mothers build nests in trees where they leave their young while searching for food. The twins' mother, Koa, leads the zoo's troop in the species' rare matriarchal social structure, while their father, Milo, is her chosen dominant male. The striking black-and-white primates are also among the world's largest pollinators, carrying pollen on their furry faces as they feed on nectar from Madagascar's Traveller's tree.
Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story, photo feature, photo story, Central Park Zoo, black-and-white ruffed lemur, critically endangered lemur, lemur twins, twin lemurs, endangered species, Madagascar wildlife, wildlife conservation, baby animals, zoo news, rare animal birth, Wildlife Conservation Society, WCS, Species Survival Plan, AZA breeding programme, primates, conservation breeding, New York zoo, animal photos, cute animals
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