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Issue Two, June 15

Time is flying by and we are quickly approaching the official release date, which has been set for Monday, June 18.

Though it was a tough decision, Samba and Gisela have been pulled from the family group due to some observed aggression. They are entering the age where, in the wild, they would disperse to find their own territory. They are currently in holding but will be on exhibit together in the Small Mammal House once the rest of the family goes out, and they will eventually be placed with mates to start families of their own.

The remaining family of six made a visit to the veterinary hospital on Monday and were given exams, got radio collared, and had their tails dyed for identification. The two neonates, who are now three weeks old, are alert and healthy and have both been tentatively sexed as male. While they waited for their parents to be examined, they vocalized nonstop—a sign of strong infants!

As soon as Eduardo was recovered, he took the infants and carried both of them for several hours! Eduardo weighed 744 g and had the top half of his tail dyed. Laranja weighed 606.6 g and had her entire tail dyed. Moe weighed 410 g and had the top and bottom thirds of his tail dyed. Mara weighed 437 g and had just the center third of her tail dyed. The babies had opposite thighs dyed. The one with the right thigh dyed weighed 90.9 g and the one with the left weighed 100.9 g.

Eduardo,
father		 Laranja,
mother
Mara, female born November 2006 Moe, male born November 2006
Baby, born May 2007, dyed on right thigh Baby, born May 2007, dyed on left thigh

Everyone is wearing their antennas over their right shoulder except Mara, whose antenna is over her left shoulder. They are all back on exhibit next to the red-ruffed lemurs in the Small Mammal House.

Well, that is it for now. You can look forward to reading an exciting account of the family’s release next week.

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