Hand stretched out with a little treat on the fingertips, the furry fellow peering from a tree branch leaped closer, bright yellow eyes on the prize as the dark grey, brushy tongue reached for the banana, smooshed between my fingers. The scene could have been a perfect pick for Zootopia but hey, CTC Conservation Center in Mpigi was the ideal stage.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Lemurs of Uganda!
Endemic to Madagascar Island off the southeastern coast of Africa, lemurs are wet-nosed primates of the superfamily Lemuroidea, divided into 8 families and consisting of 15 genera and around 100 existing species.
It’s always a pleasure visiting CTC but many a time, my encounters and the stuff I get to learn about the wild characters are the icing on the cake.
On the lower section of the Conservation center, Black and White ruffed lemurs – a critically endangered species have found a new home overseeing the dense forest just a few meters away; quite a scenic view with the receding hills.
“Let me pick some bananas then we can head down and check on the lemurs, they love bananas,” CTC Director Mr. Thomas Price was kind enough to take me on a guided excursion to this new extension on the property.
I was amazed by the numerous projects underway at this wide estate, including the planned expansion of the lion enclosure, a road connecting the East and West sections among other improvements that will, once done, make CTC quite a haven for the animals and the tourists who heed the calls of the wild.
“Here, we got to sanitize properly before engaging them,” Mr. Price handed me sanitizer before we made it inside the lemur territory.
Stepping into a disinfectant puddle before entering animal enclosures and sanitizing one’s hands are common practices here – just oblige, we can’t have a plague wreaking havoc at the farm simply because you can’t follow simple standard operating procedures!
A purr or shriek, must have been one of the two, whatever that sound was, it caught my attention and I could swear I subtly ducked at the sight of that beautiful dark snout peering through the mesh. I wasn’t meeting an old friend, so I waited for instruction. It’s always key to not be carried away by excitement – who knows what a white and black ruffed lemur can do to you with that strong, fluffy tail that could make for a comfy, furry scarf around the neck! But no, they turned out quite gentle.
In a few minutes, two of the numerous lemurs were let out, each taking a giant swift leap to the tree in the enclosed front yard of this their new posh residence. I have never seen a primate with better looking nails on both hind and front limb pairs. I didn’t want to sound dumb so I never asked about the pedicure and manicure arrangement for these residents. Maybe I will get an answer soon.
“Mush this piece with your fingers, they will lick it off,” he instructed and I did as told. The two lemurs were going about their business in the trees, well, what did I expect, some sort of welcome dance for a stranger quite underdressed in her ripped jeans, faux Air Jordans and a graphic hooded sweatshirt?
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There was, however, something more to me than my very wanting choice of fashion. I had a treat, surely sooner or later, their nostrils would wrinkle at the smell of the banana, their tongues and throats would burn with the desire and hunger to have this sweet thing.
The bait worked its magic. One leg forward, a bigger step and another leap, the lemur was in close range. As I stretched my hand to it, I could see the subtle sniff, probably to smell out an unusual addition to the treat, and once the coast was deemed clear, the brushy tongue made contact with the banana mash that was growing sticky between my fingers and lick away, little Ms. beautiful did. The pleasure to serve was all mine.
There are two species in the genus Varecia; the Red ruffed Lemur and the White and Black ruffed lemur, both native to Madagascar like all the other Lemur species. The Red ruffed lemur can be found in the rainforests of Masoala, in the northeast of the island. Despite having a larger range than the red ruffed lemur, the black and white ruffed lemur has a much smaller population that is spread out, living in lower population densities and reproductively isolated.
When I asked Mr. Director about their adaptation to the new environment, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the lemurs are fairing very well “because the climate in Uganda is almost identical to the one in Madagascar, their native home. We brought these in April and so far, so good.”
“Black and white ruffed lemurs are critically endangered in nature but thankfully, several zoos across the globe keep them. That’s how CTC acquired these. They are an offspring from a zoo in Ukraine,” Price said.
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All in all, my short time with the lemurs was worthwhile and honestly, this whole Madagascar in Uganda exhibit was a learning opportunity and yet another chance to use these hands for more fulfilling stuff. Cheers to more wild interactions.
Conserving endangered species
According to the Endangered Species Coalition, an organization aiming to stop the human-caused extinction of at-risk species, protect and restore their habitats, and to guide the fragile populations along the road to recovery, there are a number of interventions people can take up to conserve endangered species.
These include; Learning about endangered species in one’s area, visiting a national wildlife refuge, park or other open spaces, boycotting the purchase of products made from threatened or endangered species, and protecting wildlife habitat among others.
Creating safe captively managed backup populations of the endangered species, according to Mr. Price, adds a layer of reassurance that the species can be reintroduced into the wild if need be or preserved in the captive setting for posterity.