The Duke Lemur Center announced not one, but two new births of the endangered species.
The infants were born January 21 and January 22 and are growing strong, according to the center. The babies were named Terence, pictured above, and Didius, pictured below.
"The arrivals of these two infants remind us, even in difficult times, of the power that lemurs have to make us smile," said Greg Dye, executive director of the Duke Lemur Center. "New births bring joy and instill hope; and we'll continue to do everything we can to protect lemurs from extinction even in such uncertain times."
The new babies are sifakas, which are among the most threatened lemurs. Lemurs have been designated the world's most threatened group of mammals. Deforestation in Madagascar has contributed to the endangering of these animals, and experts worry there might soon come a time when the only lemurs that survive will be those in the care of humans.
"Because of the continuing pressures of human population growth, poverty, and habitat destruction, it's a very real possibility that these species could go extinct in the wild," said Lemur Center curator Cathy Williams. "If they do, their whole survival will be dependent on lemurs surviving within human care."
