A new lemur enclosure will open at Fife Zoo next weekend.
The walk-through exhibit will feature a troop of 10 ring-tailed lemurs — an endangered species unique to Madagascar.
There are currently only 2,000 left in the wild.
The troop’s new home is a large custom enclosure with a habitat built to suit their needs. Zoo owners hope it gives visitors a “truly immersive” experience.
The £25,000 project has taken nearly two years to create.
It features a bespoke, temperature-controlled lemur house as well as areas of long grasses, trees, rocky areas and climbing structures to promote their natural behaviours.
Throughout the exhibit, visitors can share the lemurs’ space and learn about their Madagascan habitats.
They will also learn about the importance of lemur conservation, threats to wild populations, their unique behaviours and more.
Endangered species
Ring-tailed lemurs are among the most recognisable of the lemurs due to their long black and white striped tail.
However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature currently classes them as endangered.
Their preferred habitat is already restricted to southern Madagascar and has been affected in recent years by droughts, logging and hunting threats.
It comes as the Ladybank attraction recovers from two devastating fires since 2020
A spokesperson for Fife Zoo said: “We are delighted to announce that despite our serious setbacks with the fires and Covid-19, we have been able to continue developing the zoo as a centre for wildlife conservation and education.
“At Fife Zoo, we’re proud to be supporting the European Ex Situ Programme for ring-tailed lemurs, working with other zoos across the UK and Europe in maintaining healthy populations of healthy animals within the Europe and beyond.”
The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria’s ex situ programme aims to conserve healthy populations of animals in captivity.
It will open to the public on Saturday October 9, with owners also offering a perk for the first visitors as anyone who visits between the opening and October 24 will get a free return ticket valid between October 30 and December 12.
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