Jungle Island in Miami gets a Lemur Kingdom of its own
If you’re a fan of Animal Planet’s Lemur Kingdom, why watch reruns when you can have a close encounter with the real thing? Jungle Island in Miami, Florida has just become a haven for nine little lemurs, straight from Madagascar, where they’re endangered due to human impact. In the chance of a lifetime, Jungle Island’s guests can now spend up to 45 minutes checking them out, during our incredible Lemur Experience.
There are 30-plus species of lemurs in the world, and all are from the island of Madagascar. Four of Jungle Island’s are Black-and-White Ruffed, while another four are Red Ruffed. A solo Ring-tailed lemur fills out the pack. They’re the three largest of the lemur species, and definitely among the most attractive. Not to be misidentified as meerkats (the weasels) lemurs are primates!
When you encounter Jungle Island‘s lemurs, you’ll meet Teddy Bear, a Red lemur that likes to suck on your finger until he sleeps. Then, there’s Moley a sweet, cuddly, Black-and-White guy who’ll jump right in your lap. He’s the only lemur-in-residence that steals bananas, so be forewarned. Our rarefied Ringtail, Sophie, is the smallest of all. Sophie is just two-months old, and while the others are just half-a-month ahead of her, she’ll stay smaller than the others-that’s just the kind of lemur she is.
Fans of lemur lore will be gratified to know:
- It’s estimated there are fewer than 1,000 Red Ruffed and 10,000 Black-and-White Ruffed lemurs in the wild. While there are upwards of 10,000 Ringtail lemurs, populations of all three of these species are steadily decreasing.
- Lemurs’ life span in the wild is 16 to 20 years. Black-and-White and Red Ruffed lemurs can live to be as old as 36.
- Female lemurs are dominant in their group. They’ve got girl power!
- Lemurs have a defined breeding season, which runs annually, December to February. There are only a few 24-to-48 hour periods during which a female lemur may breed, and once she catches the lemur of her dreams, she can’t breed with another-that season.
Kids enjoy getting up-close-and-personal with private Lemur Experience
Jungle Island’s lemur team lives in a room with two glass sides, which allows visitors an up-close-and-personal view. For those who want more, the 45-minute Lemur Encounter includes a 15-minute animal-keeper talk on their habits, diet, endangered-species status and lifestyle, as well as a full interaction, during which guests can hold and play with these incredible little creatures.
For a maximum of three people per tour, the cost is $45 per person; for a single person the cost is $60 (prices do not include tax). For safety reasons, children under 6 years-of-age are not permitted. Our VIP tours also include our lemur experience.
For more information, please visit www.jungleisland.com.