‘Fragile’ baby lemur dies days after birth at Zoo Atlanta. ‘We are heartbroken’
An endangered baby lemur has died days after being born at Zoo Atlanta.
The zoo shared the tragic update Thursday, May 23, on Facebook.
“We are heartbroken to share that the infant crowned lemur born on May 20, which we shared with you yesterday with such excitement and joy, was found deceased this afternoon,” officials said.
The infant, who hadn’t been named yet, was born to a 10-year-old lemur named Sava, according to the zoo. In its birth announcement, zoo officials said the infant was delivered via a Caesarean section after Sava’s labor stalled, “suggesting a breech presentation.”
Mom and baby, who belong to a threatened species of lemurs native to northern Madagascar, were reunited soon afterward. The infant would’ve been the fourth surviving offspring of Sava and Xonsu, an 11-year-old male lemur at the zoo, according to officials.
“While Sava is an experienced mother who has successfully reared three other offspring, infant mortality is not uncommon among lemur species, both in the wild and in human care,” the zoo said on Facebook.
“Newborn lemurs are very fragile, and the first few days of life are precarious for any baby animal,” it continued.
Madagascar is home to more than 100 lemur species, but forest destruction has put the ancient primates “on the brink of extinction,” according to 2018 report from National Geographic. Other factors, including poaching and mining, are also to blame for their shrinking populations.
Russell Mittermeier, chief conservation officer of Global Wildlife Conservation, said crowned lemurs are particularly affected by poaching.
“They’re primarily targeted as a food source,” Mittermeier told National Geographic. “But it is often not for subsistence but rather for the local restaurant market.”
Zoo Atlanta officials didn’t say what may have caused the baby lemur’s death.
“We are saddened that we will not have the opportunity to watch this infant grow along with you, and are additionally devastated to lose a new member of an endangered species,” the zoo said.
This story was originally published May 24, 2024 at 8:52 AM with the headline "‘Fragile’ baby lemur dies days after birth at Zoo Atlanta. ‘We are heartbroken’."