Stakeholder Update from the Duke Lemur Center

January 2026 Update for our Donors

Meet Junius, great-grandson of Zoboomafoo! Pictured above with his mother Francesca. (Photo by David Haring.)

Dear valued friend and supporter,

Thank you for investing in the mission and work of the Duke Lemur Center! Your generosity helps us protect lemurs and their natural habitats while advancing research and education.

In the coming months, we invite you to stay connected and inspired! We're offering special opportunities for donors and friends to engage with our work—both online and in person. You’ll find details on upcoming events below.

If you’d ever like to discuss your support or explore areas of interest, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re deeply grateful to have you as part of our mission to learn from and protect these remarkable animals.

Warm regards,

Mary Paisley

Director of Development

An evening with Duke Lemur Center experts

Join us on Saturday, January 31 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. for an evening with the Duke Lemur Center’s other remarkable primates – the incredible humans caring for and studying all things lemur! This informal, open house-style event will bring you behind the scenes to learn and chat with experts from our Research, Husbandry, Museum, Veterinary, and Education teams. LEARN MORE and REGISTER ($20 per person).

DLC Museum of Natural History

Free tours of our museum on Broad Street

Join us for an open house at the DLC Museum of Natural History on February 28, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Admission is FREE!

Please note: The museum is NOT at the main DLC location. The address is 1013 Broad St, Durham. Visit the DLC Museum of Natural History Tours page to learn more!

Online course on natural history of carnivores

Dr. Matt Borths, curator of the DLC museum, is teaching an online course entitled "Hypercarnivore: A Natural History of Meat Eaters." Learn about the animals at the top of the food chain! This is offered through Duke's collaboration with OLLI (The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute). Registration is open to all! Go to Duke: OLLI and search for "Hypercarnivore."

Madagascar Programs Updates

Read our latest Madagascar Conservation Update, including this recently published article showing that simple, hands-on training is transforming livelihoods in rural Madagascar—especially for women.
The Welch and Katz Endowment Fund recently exceeded a milestone of $300,000 in pledges and gifts, and continues to grow thanks to donors' support!

Madagascar Tour 2026

Duke Alumni Association Forever Learning Weekend

Registration is open for our 2026 Magical Madagascar Tour! Questions? Contact Nathan McKinnis at Duke Travels: 919.684.6723 or nathan.mckinnis@duke.edu.

Valentine "perks" for our donors!

Celebrating Valentine’s Day has become one of our favorite traditions—a chance to say THANK YOU to our supporters whose generosity makes our work possible.

A special valentine message will be sent on or before February 13 to everyone who has made a donation in the past year, and to all lifetime members of our Circle of Life and Legacy for Lemurs giving societies. The message will include a link to a valentine video, sweet lemur images, and a printable card—perfect for sharing with friends and family. We hope this brings a smile to you and everyone you share it with!