Staff at Folly Farm, Begelly, are celebrating the birth of three black and white ruffed lemurs, the first of this species to be born at the zoo. The births occurred on Saturday, playing a welcome part in the European breeding programme for endangered species.
The triplets, named Harry, Ron and Neville after characters in 'Harry Potter', are the first offspring of Kirindi, the zoo's only female black and white ruffed lemur. The births bring the zoo's collection of these magnificent and highly endangered primates up to six.
Head zookeeper Tim Morphew stated: "I'm really pleased with them because they're a good weight and Kirindi is a first-time mum. She seems to be doing everything right."
This comes as quite a relief to Tim, who is still rearing one of the zoo's ring-tailed lemurs, Trelow, after his mother rejected him back in March.
Black and white ruffed lemurs are found in the wild only in Eastern Madagascar, and are becoming increasingly endangered due to the destruction of their rainforest habitat, poaching for meat and fur and commercial exportation. They are listed as endangered according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and there are only between 1,000 and 10,000 left in the wild.
When Harry, Ron and Neville mature they will be re-housed elsewhere to continue the important breeding programme.
Said Tim: "They'll be sent off to other respectable zoos or collections to start their own groups and rear their own families, so we can continue increasing the population."
Folly Farm staff are also delighted at the birth of two more ring-tailed lemur twins, also highly endangered, and prairie dog twins, all born over the weekend and yet to be named.