FEATURE: Lemurs

Who doesn’t love lemurs?! Lemurs are an amazing group of species that I’ve found are becoming more and more common in zoos. There are almost 100 different species of lemur but I’ve found the most common ones in captivity are ring-tailed lemurs and black and white ruffed lemurs. These are incredibly endearing animals – they are fluffy with long tails and they LOVE to climb. They spend a lot of time grooming within their family groups. If you look closely you will see a nail on their second digit specialized for grooming, as well their lower front teeth resemble a comb and will be used often for that purpose. Madagascar is where all the species of lemurs call home; truly a great example of evolving and adapting to their environment.

Mother ring-tailed lemur with young at the Toronto Zoo

Ring-tailed lemurs are the species I see most often. They are a highly social, living in troops with multiple males and females. Their mating season is relatively short and this results in the young growing up together. You will often see a baby clinging to its mothers back, although the group works together in raising the young. Their most obvious trait is their tail. It’s very long and is striped black and white, like rings. They rely on scent a lot to communicate and have many scent glands on their bodies. They will rub this scent on their long tails to help disperse it from their glands. When moving around they will carry their tails high in an ‘S’ form, this is to help communicate with others in their group. They can also be very vocal and have a wide range of sounds, from shrieks to purrs to chirps.

 

The characteristic ring-tailed lemur tail (Bowmanville Zoo).

Black and white ruffed lemurs are fluffier than the ring-tails and as their name suggests are starker in colour. The piercing yellow eyes against their black and white fur are sure to catch your eye while passing by. Also forming family groups, they tend to be one breeding pair with their offspring. Females will make nests for their young which they will line with their own fur.

Black and white ruffed lemur behind the scenes at Jungle Cat World

With their exceptional climbing abilities and cheeky nature they are sure to be your next favourite stop at the zoo…just to see what they are up to!

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REVIEW: Behind the Scenes (Jungle Cat World)

Zoo: Jungle Cat World

Location: Orono, Ontario

Website: www.junglecatworld.com/behind_scenes.html

Description: A behind the scenes tour of the zoo with interactions with 3 animals of your choice (~15mins each).

Animals chosen for our visit: Black and White Ruffed Lemurs, Striped Hyenas, Amur Tiger

Children Friendly (4): Obviously this category is going to be greatly dependant on the personality of your child and the animals you choose. However, overall I did not feel this was necessarily a behind the scenes experience that would be appropriate for children, young children that is. You could cater it to be more child friendly when choosing which animals to be included on your tour. Although, I know when I was a child I’d want to be with the big cats or wolves. Since it is hands on with animals it’s a safety concern with children being too rough or not respecting the animal. As well, some of these animals are large, and while you are with a keeper at all times they can be unpredictable.

Animal Viewing (10): In terms of seeing the animals, you can’t get it any better. In most situations you are inside their exhibit, seeing them face to face. The lemurs climbed all over us, the hyenas untied our shoelaces, and Nadine the tiger lounged on a picnic table for photos with us. If it is close encounters with the animals that you’re looking for, this is the behind the scenes program for you.

Animals Happiness (7): Along the lines of being not necessarily suitable for children, it can potentially be stressful for the animals. The lemurs were happy as could be to have visitors and were quite taken by our feet. One of the hyenas however was quite shy and didn’t seem completely thrilled that we were in its enclosure. Nadine the tiger was in the middle of playtime when it was her turn to show off – I’m sure she would have been more content without the interruption. These animals are used to having guests in interacting with them, and as long as those guests are respectful it shouldn’t be an issue. It’s the guests that decide to push the boundaries or break the rules that can affect the animals happiness the most.

Photography (10): Going hand in hand with the animal viewing is photography. Without those fences between you and the animal, you’re able to get some awesome shots. Also, the keeper was always willing to take photos for us as well.

Price (9): Although it is $100 per person (discounted if you’re younger than 18), it is technically a donation to the Endangered Species Fund of Canada – so the cost is actually going toward a good cause. Also this includes your admission into the zoo and all that comes with that.

Safety (5): Long story short, you’re interacting with unpredictable animals. There are safer options on the list to choose, and I haven’t heard of any issues they have had with the program but the potential is there. For the safety a lot depends on how you respect the animal you’re interacting with but also there are factors that are out of your control. During our visit we were told that it would be one of the last behind the scenes with Nadine due to her size at the time. She was no longer a small cub and her strength was something that would be harder to control. This was one of the interactions that did not take place in the exhibit but rather just outside on a picnic bench. My first thought was that IF something happened and the tiger got away from the keeper – that tiger was then a threat to every other visitor in the zoo and the surrounding area. It was no longer contained. Also, the other guests in the zoo were not being respectful. The keeper was continually having to remind people to remain in certain areas for their safety however many ignored this to get a better photograph or to see how close they could get. Due to factors like these I reduced this score.

VIP Experience (10): In terms of feeling like you’re getting what you paid for this program delivers. It is not something every guest is able to do. You get hands on interactions and some amazing photos.

Overall (7.9): Overall I would recommend this program – but I would advise parents to be cautious if booking with children. Being able to choose which animals you want to interact with is definitely one of the best perks. You can keep going back and see different animals each time! If you’re an animal lover, you will not forget this experience.

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TIP: Feeding Times

Many zoos list feeding times for different animals throughout the day. These times are a great opportunity to get a better view of the animals – they are more in view and will be more animated. In some of the more laid back animals this provides an opportunity to see them moving around; in some of the more active animals that are normally difficult to get non-blurry pictures of, this can provide moments where they’re staying still.

One of the active Ring-Tailed Lemurs at the Toronto Zoo taking a moment to enjoy a snack.

With many of the feeding interactions the zookeeper will also say a little blurb to the crowd about that particular animal and what they are feeding it. This is a great learning opportunity and also a chance to ask any questions you may have. With the lesser dangerous animals the keeper may be in the exhibit with the animals which displays the bonds these keepers have with their animals.

Zookeeper feeding the African Penguins at the Toronto Zoo.

You can normally find these feeding times on the zoos website before you go for the day. If you can’t find any displayed online or on the map ask at the front gate when you go in!

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