New Lemurs at the Zoo...OH MY!

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s animal family recently grew by two, with the addition of male ring-tailed lemurs Hank and Stewart in Monkey Pavilion. The pair moved here from Pueblo Zoo to join fellow ring-tailed lemurs Jimmy and Jabari, and black and white ruffed lemur Ozzy. Hank, age 5, and Stewart, age 4, both have the signature ring-tailed lemur tail – very long with vivid black and white stripes. The easiest way to tell them apart is by looking at their size. Hank is smaller, weighing in at about five pounds.



You can see Hank and Stewart on exhibit, but they haven’t moved in with the rest of the lemurs yet. They are currently going through what we call the “howdy” process, getting to know their new roommates a bit better before they share the same exhibit space. A mesh door called a “howdy” separates Hank and Stewart from the others so they can see and get used to each other. It takes time, though, and you might see them “stink fighting” as a way to establish territory. They have potent scent glands on their wrists, which they rub on their tails and wave in the air in an attempt to outstink the others.

Lemurs are primates, and are related to monkeys and apes. In the wild, they only live on the African island of Madagascar. Black and white ruffed lemurs are critically endangered and ring-tailed lemur populations are decreasing, mainly because of habitat destruction due to farming and logging.