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IN THIS ISSUE: We explore the biodiversity of Madagascar, highlight a fun summer enrichment idea, introduce you to some of this year's Natural Habitat Enclosure residents, and more!
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Pleasant Primate of the Month goes to...fat-tailed dwarf lemur Sandpiper, who is an excellent mom to infant Myna. Healthy, not-so-little, Myna is the largest fat-tailed dwarf lemur infant in DLC history, and she even outweighs her parents at just three months old - way to go Sandpiper!
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Problematic Primate of the Month goes to...
Nacho the mongoose lemur, for crashing the Coquerel's sifaka section of the Virtual Tour video. While Nacho does have a certain star quality about him, it was the sifakas time to shine!
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Madagascar: A Biodiversity HotspotFrom deep oceans to scorching deserts, coral reefs to rainforests, our planet hosts an incredible range of ecosystems which support a wondrous diversity of organisms. Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth, from alpaca to zooplankton and everything in between, and as our world faces climate crisis and mass extinction, more people are paying attention to what biodiversity is and why it’s so important...
Because Madagascar has been an island for tens of millions of years, many of the plants and animals that live there are found nowhere else, making it an extremely important biodiversity hotspot. Scientists estimate that about 90% of the plants on Madagascar are endemic, while about 85% of animals are endemic. Since these organisms have been isolated on an island for so long, millions of years of adaptive radiation has resulted in very unique and amazing species.
To read our full article highlighting Madagascar as a critical biodiversity hotspot, click here!
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Lucky Lemurs Beat the Heat with Frozen Treats!The best way to cool off on a hot day in NC is with a frozen treat, especially if you are a lemur! Watch crowned lemurs Aria and Anhotep; black and white ruffed lemurs AJ, Rees, and Beans; and Coquerel's sifakas Terrence and Magdalena figure out the best way to get to their popsicles with an enrichment activity that strengthens their natural foraging behavior. Popsicles are made from water, fruit juice, applesauce, and grapes for our fruit-loving crowned and ruffed lemurs, while the leaf-eating sifakas enjoy a treat made with peanut butter powder and chopped nuts.
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Enrichment for Humans Lucky Lemur Popsicle Recipe
Ingredients*White grape juice (We dilute the juice with water to make sure the lemurs don’t get too much sugar.)
Your choice of fruits chopped into bite-size chunks
Applesauce
*Feel free to substitute your favorite fruit juice or fruit additions for this recipe!
Directions1. In a large pitcher, mix together equal parts juice and applesauce until combined.
2. Pour mixture into popsicle molds. We used small food dishes, but you could use Dixie cups, ice cube trays, yogurt cups, or anything else you can find!
3. Add fruit to your mixture.
4. Add sticks to your popsicle mixture. Popsicle sticks work here, or you can use straws, or even plastic spoons. We don’t recommend using fleece strips unless you want to tie up your popsicle and make a big mess trying to eat them like a lemur!
5. Put your popsicle in the freezer for at least 2-3 hours.
6. Enjoy!
If you made this recipe, let us know how it turned out! Did you change anything about it? Send us your own recipes and photos at learninglemurs@duke.edu!
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This Summer in the Natural Habitat EnclosuresOne of the hallmarks of the DLC is its Natural Habitat Enclosures, where lemurs free-range in large tracts of forest and live in natural social groups, giving researchers and visitors the opportunity to observe the lemurs leaping and socializing with each other in a natural setting, without the need to travel thousands of miles to Madagascar.
There are nine Natural Habitat Enclosures (NHEs) at the Duke Lemur Center, ranging in size from one to 13+ acres. From late spring to early fall, NHEs allow the resident lemurs to explore the forest 24 hours a day – with activities ranging from a nap on the soft, shady ground to foraging for fresh leaf buds over 80 feet up in a tulip poplar tree.
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Each winter, Animal Curator Cathy Williams carefully works with the animal care team to plan for the spring animal moves... With so many questions to consider, determining which lemurs will reside in which forests is like the ultimate brain teaser. So, what’s a curator to do? Compromise! Most of the 2020 NHE line-ups include a couple of experienced free-ranging troops, paired with some new lemurs experiencing their NHE for the first time.
To read our full article on this summer's Natural Habitat Enclosure residents, click here!
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Learning Lemurs LibraryThis month we are embracing the science all around us, even in our own backyards. Check out our reccommendations for adults and kids below.
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The Forest Unseen: A Year's Watch in NatureBy David George HaskellIn this non-fiction book, the author, a biologst, makes observations about the natural world through frequent visits to a 1 square meter patch of forest in Tennessee. We can learn all kinds of lessons from spending time in nature, whether your square meter is old growth forest or a patio herb garden.
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Science is Everywhere:Science is for EveryoneBy Dr. Jeanette DavisThis book is a great reminder that science is all about asking questions and exploring, no matter where you are or the topics you might be interested in. Recommended for ages 4-8.
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Enrichment for HumansHula Hoop Habitats
Background
A habitat is a place where organisms live. Every habitat contains the things necessary for those organisms to live: food, water, air, and space. But habitats can come in all shapes and sizes! Microhabitats are small habitats that contain the necessary food, water, air, and space for very small organisms. These microhabitats function just like the larger habitats we think of, and can be just as interesting!
Materials
Hula hoop (or something to mark a hula-hoop-sized area)
Writing materials
Optional: magnifying glass
Activity
Find a cool spot outdoors in nature. This could be your backyard, part of a garden, a hiking area; anywhere that is safe for you to be for a little while. If you have a hula hoop, set it down somewhere to mark your spot. If you don’t have a hula hoop, eyeball an area and mark it off with string or chalk—just make sure not to disturb the habitat. Now, observe!
Identify the living things that are inside your hula hoop. How many plants? Animals? What kinds of plants or animals? Are animals going in and out of your observation area? Make notes of how many different types of organisms are in your hula hoop. What is your biodiversity like? Finally, choose an organism that you saw in your hula hoop (plants count, too!).
From that organism’s perspective, write a story or draw a picture about what their life is like in that microhabitat. Be sure to include how they get their food, water, and other needs!
Share your stories with us at learninglemurs@duke.edu!
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