Zoo Miami animals have been productive during the pandemic. Here’s a glimpse of a newborn.
A pandemic hasn’t stopped the animals at Zoo Miami from being, well, productive.
On Tuesday, the zoo released photos of a baby mongoose lemur, which was born May 6.
The birth of the endangered primate is a big deal for the zoo because it’s the first time this species — which is primarily found in Madagascar — has been born at the zoo.
The newborn, which has not yet had its prenatal exam to reveal its gender, has been left alone to have time to bond with its mother, said Ron Magill, zoo spokesman.
Both of the infant’s parents were born at the Lemur Conservation Foundation in Myakka City, on Florida’s southwest coast. The baby’s mother is 5-year-old Julieta and its father is 12-year-old Juanito. Both arrived at Zoo Miami in January 2019.
Mongoose lemurs feed primarily on fruits and flowers and are considered to be important pollinators, Magill said.
“Mother and baby are on exhibit but can present a challenge to see as she prefers to stay high in the trees, still being very protective of her baby, which appears to be doing very well,” Magill said in a news release.
This story was originally published June 9, 2020 at 7:38 PM.
