Best gentle / bamboo lemur enclosures and holdings / collections in zoos

Sorry, OC. I saw the lemurs in 1987 and I can't remember details, although I may have a slide of the lemurs. I'll try and find the slide box. Near the zoo is a museum that includes skeletons of extinct lemurs. There was also a slowly-decaying coelacanth, but I think that was disposed of a long time ago.

 

If you do find that slide it would be amazing to see a picture of the lemurs (don't know if its possible to get a scan of slides?).

The museum sounds fascinating as there have been many Holocene lemur extinctions and some of those extinct lemurs were incredible beasts.

 

If only I could see Megaladapis!

 

The enclosure at Mulhouse zoo on the other hand is a bit underwhelming though I've seen far worse primate enclosures in zoos.





Photo credit to @lintworm and @Baldur.

 

I can't find a picture of what their enclosure looks like but there are some terrific shots in the gallery of this beautiful species at the Cologne zoo and it certainly seems like this is a breeding group which has had success.









Photo credits to @Dianamonkey, @ronnienl, @Javan Rhino, @Tomek, @Glutton and @Eagle.

 

Again can't seem to find any pictures of the enclosure at Plzen zoo but some great shots of the animals themselves from the gallery.



Photo credits to @ronnienl and @HOMIN96.

 

Aww a little Bamboo lemur tongue.

 

Zoo d'Asson, another French zoo which keeps and breeds this beautiful species.

It would appear that one of the keepers from the zoo took the pictures below and had the name @fuscicollis on the site but hasn't been online since 2017.

Quite a pity as would have loved to have him / her comment more on the species and experiences with it on this thread.




Photo credit to @fuscicollis.

 

The greater bamboo lemur is or was kept formerly at the Aspinall parks too and bred in 2012 and 2013 apparently.

I remember reading the Tony King paper towards the end of the whole Damian Aspinall debate thread and actually being very impressed by what the Aspinall Foundation are doing in Madagascar in terms of in-situ conservation.




The enclosures look a little rustic but knowing the level of care but into the wellbeing of the animals at the parks I think they were / are probably quite contented lemurs and the breeding proves this.


Photo credits to @Javan Rhino, @MagpieGoose, @Tomek and @ThylacineAlive.

 

One of two.

 

The one thats visible, and not located behind the first.

 

I think Cotswold Wildlife Park seems like the best place to go to view the greater bamboo lemur and I'm very impressed to find out that they don't just contribute to the conservation of the species ex-situ but also in-situ in Madagascar too.

There are evidently some really photogenic and charismatic bamboo lemurs at CWP.





This shot in particular makes me smile.

These are some incredible ambassadors for their species.







Photo credits to @Maguari, @ro6ca66, @Malayan Tapir, @Dom, @gentle lemur and @eggshelluk.

 

Also have the Lac Alaotra gentle lemur at CWP too apparently.



Love the donation box for in-situ conservation of the species too.


Photo credit to @Bele and @gentle lemur.

 

The greater bamboo lemurs at Cotswold were originally kept in the enclosure at the far end of the small walled garden, next to the greenhouse. This enclosure has been enlarged and holds sifaka (unless they have been moved since my last visit in May 2019) as the gentle lemurs moved into one of smaller enclosures attached to the Madagascar walk-through. I don't think they have ever been mixed with the other lemurs. One or two of the gentle lemurs have also been held virtually off-show in an enclosure behind the colobus monkey's indoor quarters, which is also screened by some shrubbery.
To my great regret, the walk-through was closed to visitors after the first lockdown. I have been waiting for it to reopen as 2 infants have been born, which are the first successful breedings at the park (as far as I know). The zoo has not yet announced plans to reopen in December, but anyway I don't think the lemurs will be visible as the walk-though holds birds as well as lemurs, so bird flu regulations will apply

 

Heyy,, that photo looks familiar?

 

Thank you for your comment @gentle lemur ! Much appreciated!

Have to say that your pictures of the Cotswold bamboo lemurs are excellent !

I was looking through the gallery for a picture that could give some indication of the enclosure that they occupy but didn't find anything. How would you rate the enclosure they are held in ?

Brilliant to hear that they have had breeding success with this lemur as the ex-situ insurance population most definitely needs to increase given the enormity of the threats that the species is facing in the wild.

Also, a strange question, but do you happen to know the names of the greater bamboo lemurs kept at CWP ?

 

I found this video on youtube of a bamboo lemur at CWP but this animal was apparently being held in the quarantine area so I don't think it is really any indication of what the normal enclosure looks like.

 

That's the old enclosure, which was extended for the sifakas. It was actually larger than it appears to be in the video, being quite deep from front to back. The video seems to have been shot from the keeper's door in the back corner behind the indoor quarters.
I have seen one or two the names, but I haven't bothered to remember them. I think they were in one of the old annual reports of Helpsimus, the excellent Paris-based charity, which works to conserve the species. Helpsimus note that most of the pages on this website have the top half in French and the bottom in English. CWP supports and works with this charity and I think it is a very good cause.

 

Having a looking at some of those brilliant photos you have taken of the Cotswold bamboo lemurs I was wondering what names had been given to them by their keepers as they seem like animals with quite a lot of character.

I've never heard of that charity / NGO so it is brilliant to learn of its existence.

 

Apparently the Aspinall parks also had the lesser bamboo lemur too judging by the gallery.








Photo credits to @gentle lemur, @Maguari and @Tomek.