Fota Wildlife Park have announced the arrival of five ring-tailed lemur pups to its free-roaming troop; classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), this species faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
The recent spring births at Fota Wildlife Park mark a significant success in the Park’s endangered species breeding programme, increasing the total number of ring-tailed lemurs in the troop to eighteen.
Over a two-day period, three adult females, DC, Brida and Aqua, each gave birth. DC, a four-year-old female and mother to one-year-old Kirby, delivered a single infant on April 1st. On the same day, her eight-year-old aunt Brida gave birth to twins. Brida has previously produced two offspring, Bosoa and St. Pat, the latter named after her St. Patrick’s Day birth.
On April 2nd, Aqua, Brida’s sister and DC’s mother, delivered her third set of twins. Since her arrival at Fota, Aqua has demonstrated consistent reproductive success, with earlier offspring including Malbec, Shiraz, Pinot, and Grigio. Her maternal care continues to support the development and wellbeing of her expanding lineage.
All five newborns were sired by Merlot, a five-year-old male who was transferred to Fota Wildlife Park from Parc Zoo du Reynou, France, in 2022 under an international breeding recommendation. Merlot has since established himself as the dominant breeding male within the troop, he can often be spotted basking in the sun or socialising with other members of the group.
REAL THREAT
Lemurs are endemic to the island of Madagascar. Studies suggest that there has been a 95% reduction in the wild population of ring-tailed lemurs since 1990, with 3,000 ring-tailed lemurs remaining in the wild. Fota Wildlife Park is home to and actively involved in two endangered lemur breeding programmes, for ring-tailed and black-and-white lemurs.
Teresa Power, Lead Ranger at Fota Wildlife Park said the five new arrivals speaks volumes about the health and vitality of the Park’s breeding group.
“The babies can be easily spotted clinging to their mothers as they explore Palm Walk. Our visitors associate this free roaming species with Fota Wildlife Park and they are huge favourite with the visiting public.
“However, as a conservation charity, this is an opportunity to help raise awareness about the threats to biodiversity on their native Island of Madagascar, which is the home to all species of lemurs. The island of Madagascar has lost 90% of its forest cover in the last 200 years. This has resulted in 80% of its animal and plant life being in danger of extinction.”
The Madagascan Village at Fota Wildlife Park is an indoor educational space designed to teach the public about the serious threats facing Madagascar’s unique biodiversity, while also showcasing some of the endangered species native to the island.
NAMES NEEDED!
Fota Wildlife Park is inviting the public to help name their young ring-tailed lemurs, whose genders are unknown, for a chance to win one of five family day passes. Name suggestions can be submitted via the blog (link) and should either be inspired by the lemurs’ natural home of Madagascar or carry a meaningful connection to the species.
For more information, visit www.fotawildlife.ie
