Meet Lenny: New Species Adds Extra Dynamic to Zoo Lemur Group
September 20, 2024
Animals
By Sarah Culton, communications manager
If you were to gaze in the lemur habitat at the Detroit Zoo, you would see one animal who doesn't look like the others.
Set apart by his brown fur and the crown-shaped coloring atop his head, the habitat’s newest resident can often be found jumping from rock to rock, branch to branch. The differences don’t stop there — weighing in at just under 3 pounds, this curious primate is much smaller than the other lemurs who share the space.
“He’s easy to pick out of the crowd,” Melissa Thueme, primate supervisor, says of the new arrival. “It’s been really fun to see him move in and find his place here.”
The Zoo team recently welcomed Lenny, an 8-year-old crowned lemur. The first of his species to call the Zoo home, Lenny now shares a habitat toward the back of the Zoo with a group of red ruffed and ring-tailed lemurs.
Lenny came to Detroit on a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to better meet his social needs. Even though he is of a different species, Lenny is getting along great with the eight other lemurs who call the Zoo home.
“We have some really friendly lemurs, so we thought this would work out well,” Thueme says. “And it has. He has adjusted well. He’s really interested in all the other lemurs, and they are interested in him.”
It's not just the lemurs who have taken a liking to Lenny. He quickly stole the hearts of the animal care staff with his charming personality and cheerful vocalizations.
“He’s the cutest boy ever,” says Keenan McCormick, primate zookeeper. “He’s very sweet and a little shy at first. Once he is comfortable, he likes to explore and check things out.”
The Zoo team believes Lenny’s arrival benefits everyone — Lenny, his habitat mates and everyone who gets to meet him during their Zoo visit.
“This is enriching for everybody and adds a new dynamic to the group,” Thueme says. “Plus, it’s good for our guests. There are more than 100 lemur species, and they are all endangered. Lenny is another great animal ambassador who is igniting positive change by illuminating the threats lemurs face in the wild and what we can do to help.”
