Primate Stories: Ring-tailed Lemurs at the Detroit Zoo

As Lincoln Park Zoo ramps up its efforts in favor of the Captive Primate Safety Act, we are showcasing the stories of animals affected by the unregulated and often illegal keeping of primates as pets. This one comes from the Detroit Zoo, where four out of the six ring-tailed lemurs cared for here were affected by the primate pet trade.

In 2014, a white-nosed coati was found in a backyard in Warren, Michigan. Unfortunately, it bit a local resident and had to be euthanized. Its presence led to an additional discovery: a homeowner was keeping 29 other animals, including exotic ones—birds, rabbits, fennec foxes, and a pair of ring-tailed lemurs—in a garage. Detroit Zoo officials went to the scene to assess the animals and helped remove them from the home. In a press release, the zoo’s curator of mammals called the conditions in which they lived “deplorable.”

Sadly, the female lemur did not survive. The male, Warren, is estimated to be about 24 years old. He is recognizable in his habitat at the African Grasslands area because of his tail, which is about half the size of the other lemurs for reasons unknown. Warren, prior to being rescued, was living in a bird cage. Being kept in such a tight space meant that, even though he was removed to more appropriate living quarters where he now thrives, he started out by not having some natural lemur behaviors—like jumping.

Melissa Thueme, primates supervisor for the Detroit Zoological Society, says, “Since Warren lived in a large bird cage, he did not have as much area to move around and likely never needed to jump. We had to put up additional ropes, logs, and other elements to help him get around until he learned to jump from observing other lemurs and could finally get around like they do.”

About Ring-tailed Lemurs

Ring-tailed lemurs are charismatic primates that are found only on Madagascar and several of the neighboring islands off the coast of Africa. Unlike many other primates, they spend a lot of time on the ground, foraging for fruit, leaves, flowers, and sap. They use scent as a communications tool—and as a weapon. During mating season, male lemurs will cover their tails with their scent and wave them toward other males in a “stink fight.”

These animals live in troops of up to 30 individuals, presided over by a dominant female. In other words, they are very social, and their group hierarchy and interpersonal relationships are an important part of their lives. They have complex companionship needs that can only be met when they live in large groups of ring-tailed lemurs, as they learn the behaviors they need to survive and thrive from others of their kind. Contact with their lemur group is necessary for appropriate development and behavior as adults.

“The bonds between individuals are strengthened through grooming each other by offering to groom more dominant animals or direct family members,” says Thueme. “They huddle in groups for social contact and even for warmth. Many of these social elements cannot be replicated living in someone’s home, without lemurs being with other lemurs.”

Ring-tailed lemurs are considered Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List as a result of habitat loss, hunting, and capture for the live animal trade. In fact, 95% of all lemur species are threatened with extinction. That means that ownership of ring-tailed lemurs, if not outright illegal depending on the U.S. state, is at least harmful to their conservation as well as their individual welfare.

The Lemur Troop at Detroit Zoo

Detroit Zoo provides care for six ring-tailed lemurs. Two, Finnegan and Molly, were part of a large-scale animal confiscation from an exotic animal dealer in Texas in 2009. The pair were bred for their offspring, which were removed from their parents at a young age, raised by humans, and sold into the pet trade. Unfortunately, Finnegan and Molly were not provided with adequate housing or a healthy diet, and their conditions were poor. In 2010, they came to Detroit Zoo and had two more infants, males Fajiry and Dallas—who were able to grow up in a more appropriate living situation.

Remy, the final member of the group, was found in a neighborhood in California and rescued by the California Fish and Wildlife Service. He may have been a pet who was either released or escaped, but no owners came forward with any information.

Warren, Finnegan, and Molly had all lived with at least one other lemur, so they had learned some species-specific behaviors before coming under the protection of Detroit Zoo. That was not the case for Remy, though, who had a few social challenges that may have stemmed from the fact that he was likely housed alone. After being introduced to others, he didn’t understand how to create bonds with them. It took a long time for the other lemurs to teach him how to act like a lemur—and he still sometimes does not do the behaviors in the right social contexts.

“Remy is very people-focused, which made his introduction a little more difficult,” says Thueme. “He was more interested in spending time near us at the enclosure barrier than he was going out to engage with the others.” Today, he is fully integrated, but sometimes still prefers to watch guests than spend time with other lemurs. His less-than-ideal start as a private pet will affect him for the rest of his life.

All the lemurs have adjusted well to their habitat at the zoo and are now thriving. Such former pets often have health problems or nutritional deficiencies. They may also display behavioral issues, such as being too people-focused or aggressive to humans—a common result of being separated from their mothers at a young age and then sold into the pet trade. Lemurs specifically may experience problems integrating into groups, since they have not learned the social skills necessary to get along with others of their kind. Yet they cannot be released into the wild, either.

Not a Pet

Ring-tailed lemurs are cute and charismatic and have been seen in many movies and TV shows, which makes people want to keep them as pets. But, like all primates, they are not domesticated, and people experience many problems trying to meet their basic needs.

These animals are smelly—see the “stink-fighting” behavior referenced above—and they are noisy and destructive. They are dirty, they bite with very sharp canine teeth, and people who bring them into their homes cannot meet their social, spatial, and enrichment needs. To make matters worse, many lemurs being sold as pets were pulled from their mothers as infants, sometimes literally: ring-tailed lemurs carry their young and don’t leave them in nests.

There’s more to consider, too. Whenever a lemur is rescued, it’s sure to get good care at a place like an accredited zoo or sanctuary. Yet, because they were living in inappropriate situations, these primates require a large outlay of resources to make sure they recover properly.

“The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plans® help maintain healthy and genetically diverse populations in zoos around the country,” Thueme explains. “Because the lemurs from the pet trade have unknown parents and genetics, they are typically excluded from future breeding. The more pet lemurs in zoos, the less space we have to continue our work on conserving lemur species.”

For more information on why primates don’t make good pets, visit this blog post.

Take Action With Us

Detroit Zoo, also an accredited member of AZA, is a Lincoln Park Zoo partner in the fight to ensure proper welfare for primates around the world. Along with other AZA zoos and animal welfare and rights partners, our coalition supports the passage of the Captive Primate Safety Act to ensure the wellbeing of ring-tailed lemurs like Warren, Remy, Finnegan, Molly, and their offspring. AZA facilities that care for apes, monkeys, simians, and lemurs have seen firsthand how primates cannot experience good welfare as pets—even if they are lucky enough to have loving, well-meaning owners.

You can help! Visit lpzoo.org/takeaction to be a voice for primates. Sign up for emails, updates, and tools to contact your government representatives and show your support.