The Magnetic Hill Zoo in Moncton got a little cuter in the month of April and, on Thursday, the zoo showed the public why.
Three black-and-white ruffed lemur pups were born on April 22. The zoo hasn’t decided what to name the pups yet, saying first they need to find out the sex of the babies.
“They have to be of a certain age before you’re able to tell by their reproductive organs,” said zookeeper James Cann. “Their reproductive organs show themselves and take shape. So, it’s a bit of a process.”
In the wild, these species are only found in and around Madagascar.
“To have a breeding pair here at the zoo is actually quite something to be proud of,” said Cann. “Anytime you can add to the population of an endangered animal species, it’s good for their population as a whole.”
With such unpredictable developmental schedules, the zoo says it follows the mother's lead. A few weeks ago, the litter came out of the nest box and started exploring their environment. This week, they’re finally meeting the public.
“The thing that’s most important for us is their welfare, and when you see them coming out in that exhibit, hopping around, and they’ve got that confidence in them with mom, we know that they are healthy,” said Jill Marvin, director at the Magnetic Hill Zoo.
The zoo says the lemurs may only be at their facility for a few months, before they are taken to another accredited facility.
“These guys are a blast to work with. They’re so energetic. They’re so curious, and of course, they’re so cute,” said Cann.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jessica Ng
