Twycross Zoo welcomes lemur twins to help European Breeding Programme

The endangered red ruffed lemur Credit: Twycorss Zoo

Endangered lemur twins have been moved to Twycross Zoo in an attempt to help the species breed.

Fang and Igor, a set of red ruffed lemur twins, arrived from Dublin Zoo as part of the European Breeding Programme.

Red ruffed lemurs are currently one the world’s rarest primates, and it is hoped that the pair will breed with the zoo's resident lemur female Nadia.

The red ruffed lemur was recently listed as one of the most 25 endangered primates, because of hunting, and a loss of habitat, and is at the risk of going extinct.

Facts on red ruffed lemurs:

  • Lemurs are found on the small island of Madagascar off the coast of Africa

  • They get their name from the rust red ruff that surrounds their face

  • Red ruffed lemurs form groups of 2-16 individuals with multiple males and females

  • Bonds in the group are strengthened through grooming

  • Females typically give birth to between two and six offspring

  • The majority of the ruffed lemurs diet is fruit, nectar and pollen, they play an important role in pollination of certain plants