What a cutie! First lemur born at Dudley Zoo in more than 20 years
Staff at Dudley Zoological Gardens are celebrating the birth of the first lemur at the attraction in more than 20 years.
The black and white ruffed lemur was born to first-time mother Olivia and dad Broom at the zoo on March 14.
The lemur – which is classed as critically endangered in the wild – has only just been spotted popping out of its nesting box.
The last black and white ruffed lemurs were born at the zoo in May 1997, twins Tony and Cherie – named as Tony Blair became Prime Minister.
Pat Stevens, section leader of upper primates, said: "It has been over 20 years since we have had a black and white ruffed born here and we are absolutely thrilled.
"They are the only primates whose babies stay in the nest for the first few weeks of their lives and it was wonderful to see our new little one make an appearance for Easter."
Black and white ruffed lemurs, from the rainforests of Madagascar, are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
They face several threats including habitat loss due to slash-and-burn agriculture, logging and mining. They are also among the most heavily hunted of all lemur species.
