EST. 1966 DUKE LEMUR CENTER MAGAZINE | 2019 37 YEARS OF LEMUR PHOTOGRAPHY A CONVERSATION WITH ZOBOOMAFOO CREATOR MARTIN KRATT JOHN CLEESE-DLC VIDEO COLLABORATION ON THE TRAIL OF ANCIENT PRIMATES CONTENTS DLC AS THIS ISSUE of the Duke Lemur Center’s Magazine 4 36 LETTER FROM prepares to go to print, a fifth lemur species has been added About the Duke Lemur Center How Much Is That to the list of the 25 most endangered primates in the world Lemur in the Window? THE DIRECTOR by the International Union for the Conservation Nature 6 That lemur on Craigslist? (IUCN). The largest of the nocturnal lemur species, the My Life with Lemurs Don’t befooled—it makes a terrible pet aye-aye, sadly joins this list of primates in peril. This announ- A 37-year photo retrospective cement serves as a reminder that there remains much work 39 to do to protect lemurs and their native Malagasy forests. 18 Staff Spotlight: Giving Opportunities Meet Bobby Schopler, the DLC’s For more articles, photos, and special While the reality that 25% of the world’s 25 most endangered senior veterinarian features, please visit our online edition: primates are lemurs is sobering, I remain hopeful that this 20 LEMUR.DUKE.EDU/MAGAZINE trend will reverse. My optimism comes from the Lemur On the Trail of Ancient Primates 40 Center’s unwavering commitment to Madagascar and protecting its unique flora and fauna. This year we success Digging into lemur history 53 Years of Lemur Data - Available Online fully added two new programs to our conservation arsenal, the Malagasy veterinary internship and our animal care 24 technical advisor program. These programs benefit lemur Meet Melisandre 43 conservation by increasing the capacity of Malagasy profes- The DLC’s newest baby aye-aye Research Spotlight: The fat-tailed dwarf lemur sionals by enabling our animal care and veterinary staff to work side-by-side with them and share our knowledge 26 and expertise of lemur care and medicine. Our senior The Relationships 44 How the Indri Lost His Tail: veterinarian, Bobby Schopler, also featured in this issue, and Behind Animal Care Curator of Conservation Initiatives, Andrea Katz, are to be A Malagasy folktale New partnerships between Madagascar commended for their help in making these programs opera- and Durham improve the well-being of tional – in addition to several of our very generous donors. lemurs around the world 46 Lemur Center Names Finally, I‘d like to recognize David Haring who is in the Greg Dye New Executive Director 30 process of putting the finishing touches on a brilliant 37-year A Conversation with Martin Kratt career with the Duke Lemur Center. David started his The creator of Zoboomafoo and Wild BACK COVER career as a research technician, then worked his way up to Kratts on his time at Duke and DLC, New Adopt a Lemur Commercial colony manager before taking on the dual role of registrar and the origin of his love for lemurs Featuring John Cleese and photographer. David is a shining example of what one person can do to change the world. Many of his lemur 34 images have been featured in premiere publications like A Kid’s Guide to Helping Lemurs National Geographic, and in documentaries all around the Chart of lemur genera by Katy Tanis of daughterearth.com. world to help tell the story of lemurs and to raise the public’s awareness of them. As you will see in the following pages, David has an incredible talent: his images evoke strong EDITORS: STAY CONNECTED: Sara Clark, David Haring, Will Goodwin emotions and create critical connections with our lemurs. As David heads into a well-earned retirement, I, like all of Subscribe to our mailing list: Comments, feedback, or something ATTENTION ARTISTS: the Lemur Center team, am truly grateful to have had the lemur.duke.edu/newsletter you’d like to see in our next edition? Email [email protected]. We’d love to feature your work in opportunity to work with him and will cherish the pictures Bookmark lemur.duke.edu We’d love to hear from you! our next magazine! To submit your and sense of humor he shared with us all. Thank you, David! painting, drawing, or photograph for facebook.com/dukelemurcenter Printed on eco-friendly FSC-certified paper consideration, please email a high- twitter.com/dukelemurcenter resolution jpg and your contact ON THE COVER: information to [email protected]. instagram.com/dukelemurcenter Tulia, a female golden crowned sifaka (Propithecus tattersalli), feeds on maple We’ll select our favorites for inclusion youtube.com/dukelemurcenter flowers. (1991)Photo by David Haring. in our next edition (Fall 2020). GREG DYE 2 / DUKE LEMUR CENTER LEMUR.DUKE.EDU / 3 ABOUT THE DLC LEMUR CARE CONSERVATION RESEARCH PROTECTING AND CARING FOR EARTH’S With more than 200 animals across For over 35 years, the DLC has worked By studying the variables that most 14 species, the DLC cares for the on-the-ground in Madagascar to affect lemurs’ health, reproduction, MOST ENDANGERED MAMMALS world’s largest and most diverse protect lemurs and their natural and social dynamics, we learn how to population of lemurs outside their habitat. Most of these activities are better care for them in captivity and native Madagascar. community-based, encouraging biodi- how to most effectively focus our versity conservation in northeastern conservation efforts in Madagascar. The DLC is one-of-a-kind in its Madagascar by supporting the We also learn how to better care expert care of lemurs. No other zoo livelihoods of rural people in forest- for them in captivity, and the DLC is or research center is accredited bordering communities. Many involve recognized as a global authority on by both research and animal partnerships with Duke students and lemur veterinary medicine. welfare organizations, including faculty, inspiring the next generation the Association for Assessment and of conservation leaders and environ- In the past five years alone (2014-19), Accreditation of Laboratory Animal mental stewards. the DLC’s large and diverse research Care (AAALAC) and the Association program has facilitated 343 projects of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). These At the invitation of the Government representing 104 different institutions accreditations testify that the Duke of Madagascar, the DLC’s newest from six different countries. All DLC Lemur Center meets the highest conservation initiative is to assist research projects have one thing in standards of animal care. Madagascar’s zoos and wildlife common: a non-invasive approach. parks in developing a conservation We do not allow research that will The DLC works within a network of breeding program and establish harm our animals in any way. other AZA-accredited institutions best practices in lemur care. In doing nationwide to develop and adhere so, the DLC has the opportunity to The Division of Fossil Primates to Species Survival Plans (SSPs), improve the care and welfare of examines primate extinction and using carefully planned conservation over 600 lemurs representing 20 evolution over time and houses over breeding programs to create a endangered species housed in 14 35,000 fossils, including extinct giant genetic safety net for rare and licensed zoos across the island lemurs and one of the world’s largest endangered lemurs. We’re proud to and most important collections of have celebrated over 3,285 births early anthropoid primates. since our founding in 1966. PUBLIC OUTREACH Our signature Natural Habitat AND EDUCATION Enclosures enable our lemurs to Our Student Projects Program roam freely in multi-acre tracts connects students with volunteer, of forest and live in natural social work-study, research, and inter- FOUNDED IN MORE THAN groups, fostering the same behaviors nship opportunities at the DLC. and social structures seen in the Our goal is to provide hands-on 35 wilds of Madagascar. experiential learning opportunities 1966 3,285 YEARS WORKING that allow students to take part BIRTHS IN MADAGASCAR Our daily enrichment program in the DLC’s research, education, promotes lemurs’ curiosity, explo- animal husbandry, and conservation ration, and mental stimulation. programs here on Duke’s campus Positive reinforcement training is and in Madagascar. used to teach lemurs to sit on a scale, enter a kennel, and other behaviors The Education Department welcomes that may seem like play to the lemurs more than 32,000 people every year but enable us to provide the best to learn about lemurs, science, and care with minimal handling or stress conservation through tours, summer to the animals. camps, and Wild Workshops. 4 / DUKE DUKE LEMUR LEMUR CENTER CENTER LEMUR.DUKE.EDU / 5 My Life with LEMURS 3 OF MY MOST A PHOTO RETROSPECTIVE FAVORITE PHOTOS & 37 THE STORIES BEHIND THEM Nearing retirement, photographer DAVID HARING A celebration of 37 years reflects on nearly four decades at the DLC of lemur photography IMAGES AND TEXT BY DAVID HARING 1 I BECAME INTERESTED in photography enthralled with every detail surrounding (NHE) 1, where a group of 15 red-fronted in the early ‘70s when I was in college, the day-to-day care of lemurs: their lemurs and eight ring-tailed lemurs had but I never took any courses or received staggering beauty and amazing diversity; been released in the fall of 1981: the formal training, nor did I consider myself how they gobbled down their food; the first-ever attempt to allow lemurs to a “serious” photographer. I barely had the way each species had its own unique odor, free-range in a naturally forested setting. money to purchase a decent camera, and vocalizations, and different ways of scent- By March 1984, the NHE 1 ring-tailed when I did, I had to be super frugal with marking; and their generally friendly and lemur group had grown to 15 animals and the number of photos I took because of the charmingly inquisitive demeanor.