Best Eulemur enclosures and holdings / collections in zoos

They also have bred Coquerel's Sifakas, which is good. I believe they've had multiple offspring.

 

So that would be three Eulemur species kept then with the collared lemurs.

The assesment sounds interesting I look forward to seeing it.

Unfortunately I don't know where Philadelphia zoo keep their mongoose lemurs as I've never been there but you could be right that those are popsicle makers.

I know that zoos do provide primates including lemurs with iced foods as a form of enrichment on hot days so it could be that this is what they are for or maybe for some other feeding enrichment purpose.

 

Yes, I agree, it is most definitely impressive considering that Coquerel's sifakas are a critically endangered species.

 

It is a great looking exhibit and appears to be very large and spacious but what two Eulemur species are kept here in this mixed species exhibit ?

I would assume given the temperaments / compatibility that it wouldn't be blue-eyed black lemur or the mongoose lemur.

I am guessing it would be the collared lemurs that are kept here as from what I read recently (if I am remembering it correctly) they apparent tend to be highly suitable for mixed lemur species exhibits.

 

It is the blue-eyed black lemur and the collared lemurs that are mixed with Coqruels Sifaka, Ring-tailed lemurs, and Red Ruffed Lemurs
Where are the Mongoose Lemurs? I have never seen them before.

 

Ok, lol, I think I am getting confused with Philadelphia.

San Diego has : Collared lemurs, blue-eyed black lemurs and crowned lemurs.

Philadelphia has : Mongoose lemurs and blue-eyed black lemurs.

 

I think it is quite unusual that the crowned lemurs are not the ones in this mixed species exhibit and that the Sclater's are and especially given what I've read about the temperament of the latter.

 

As San Diego has been and will be covered more in the thread it would be nice to focus on Zurich zoo and their lemur exhibit so I had a look in the gallery and threads and it does look and sound very impressive indeed.

Very naturalistic with all of the live plants and Maguari even said that it reminded him strongly of some of the protected areas / reserves he had visited in Madagascar which I suppose is a brilliant compliment to this enclosure.



Photo credit to @Maguari.

 

This is also quite an interesting concept for a Eulemur mixed species enclosure but this time a mixed-species exhibit with mongoose lemurs and narrow striped mongoose at Newquay zoo in the UK.

Very nicely planted and furnished enclosure, looks large and spacious for the animals kept too.

I did read on a thread though that in practice it probably wasn't ideal for the narrow striped mongoose and perhaps not brilliant in terms of suitability but it is definitely something different from the usual mixed lemur species enclosures.



Photo credit to @gulogulogulo.

 

Apenhuel primate park in the Netherlands seem to have a few Eulemurs and kept in some really decent looking enclosures. They have Sclater's lemur, red bellied lemur and crowned lemur apparently.

The crowned and red bellied lemurs seem to be kept in a walkthrough and are given quite a lot of space to roam and the Sclater's lemurs are also kept in a spacious walkthrough.

 

At Apenheul the Sclater's lemur seem to occupy their own walkthrough exhibit enclosure which has a Malagasy village theme.

Additional holding enclosures for the Sclater's look pretty good and spacious.

There are two pairs of Sclater's one of whom is apparently composed of a female named Tolouse and a male named Dolf.

The other pair I cannot find the names of unfortunately.

There was a birth of a blue-eyed black / Sclater's lemur announced earlier this year which is excellent news for such a critically endangered species.

The crowned and red bellied lemurs appear to be kept in a large mixed-species walkthrough exhibit that has ringtailed and black and white and red ruffed lemurs too.


It seems to be a beautiful enclosure with access to trees and furnished with plenty of climbing enrichment.

Daily feeding presentation and talks apparently really bring the lemur species together to allow visitors to see them side by side.

Both the red bellied and crowned lemurs seem to breed very well here.


I also like that they have this excellent looking educational and information centre / exhibit for visitors about conservation in Madagascar.

Recreations of Malagasy dwellings really give visitors a bit of a feel for what life must look like in Madagascar.

Nice models of extinct Malagasy megafauna too which are appreciated by the lemurs too.

Interesting for visitors to see a lifesize model of including the giant extinct relative of these species.

Photo credits to @Maguari, @vogelcommando , @Orycteropus , @EmperorTamarin, @Elko, @Goura and @snowleopard.

 

@gulogulogulo what was your impression of this enclosure ?

 

@Onychorhynchus coronatus : Most of the lemurs at Apenheul are free-ranging but the enclosure for the Sclater's lemur isn't a walk-through. Also Sifakari and Bamboo lemur are in enclosures in which the visitors can't walk-through.

 

Thank you for the comment @vogelcommando and brilliant pictures.

So the Sclater's lemurs are kept in enclosures but in a thematic Malagasy village type area ?

 

The Naturzoo Rheine (a smaler zoo in Germany) has a very good lemur enclosure too (it is walktrough aswell, but only on sundays and holidays). It has Crowned lemurs,
Red-bellied lemurs and mongoose lemurs. Together with ringrails (of corse)

 

Thank you for your comment and sharing this @GiratinaIsGod !

That sounds like a great mix indeed and I'll definitely forgive them their inclusion of ring tailed lemurs in that mixed species exhibit because of the crowned and mongoose lemurs.

 

But I would be allways worry in the enclosure. The lemurs have acces to a chainsaw

 

Yeah, good point, they could suddenly try to seek revenge for deforestation in Madagascar and it could turn into the "Naturzoo Rheine zoo visitor chainsaw massacre"

 

For me Apenheul or possibly some French zoos are the models of the modern lemur exhibits. An area of natural vegetation, with existing trees and bushes preserved as much as possible, surrounded by a fence with an electric overhang. Not necessary walk-through, and expensive water moats are optional. They provide lemurs better conditions than much more expensive aviaries or specially designed exhibits.

 

Burger's Zoo has a very well done exhibit, with only 1 Eulumur species, the black lemur and OF CORSE the ring tailed lemur. It is used for bachlor groupso for this commen species. The only reason it deserves a mention is because the exhibit looks realy good. The trees are maby a bit smal. But will grow bigger in this very young exhibit.