The time is now
Lemurs are the most endangered mammals on Earth
about
Duke Lemur Center
Founded in 1966 on the campus of Duke University in Durham, NC, the Duke Lemur Center is a world leader in the study, care, and protection of lemurs—Earth’s most threatened group of mammals.
With more than 200 animals across 13 species, the DLC houses the world’s most diverse population of lemurs outside their native Madagascar.
Want to visit? We’d love to host you! Just note that tour reservations are required in advance.
Our Mission
To advance science, scholarship, and biological conservation through non-invasive research, community-based conservation, and public outreach and education.
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Ring-tailed lemur Fritz shows off his beautiful tail as he strolls through the woods on a crisp autumn morning 🍂
This handsome ring-tailed lemur is currently 24 years old and was born at St. Catherine's Island in Georgia. He transferred to the DLC back in 2005 and quickly became a favorite amongst staff members, thanks to his easygoing personality and slow, meandering gait. Fritz has been a superstar in the DLC's non-invasive research program over the years, voluntarily participating in studies examining everything from hormone production to auditory sensitivity to the impact of a good night's sleep—even an eye-tracking study back in 2008, where he calmly allowed researchers to outfit him with a special hat and vest to attach the camera equipment! 🤩
Enjoy your Fritz Friday! 💙
📸: Sara Nicholson ...
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Celebrate #ThrowbackThursday with these archive photos of some of the DLC's blue-eyed black lemurs 💙
Blue-eyed black lemurs are among the most endangered primates in the world, with possibly fewer than 1,000 individuals remaining in the wild. Through collaboration with accredited zoos and conservation facilities around the globe, the Duke Lemur Center is working to protected this critically endangered species from extinction 🌍
Want to support the care and conservation of these incredible animals AND have your own blue-eyed beauty to cuddle with at home? You can purchase our new blue-eyed black lemur plushes, custom designed based on photos like these of our residents, from our online store at lemur.duke.edu/shop
All sales contribute to our conservation work protecting the world's most endangered mammals 💖
📸: David Haring ...
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We're so excited to welcome Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf as our new Academic Director! 💙
trinity.duke.edu/news/elizabeth-lonsdorf-faculty
Graduating from Duke with degrees in Psychology and Biology, Dr. Lonsdorf has built a rich career in primate research, teaching, and conservation. Now, she’s back on campus as a professor in Evolutionary Anthropology and the new Academic Director of the Duke Lemur Center, the place where she first discovered a fascination with primates.
As Academic Director of the DLC, Elisabeth will help shape the next decade of our non-invasive research. That means building on research already underway, including studies of hibernation in fat-tailed dwarf lemurs, as well as our conservation programs in Madagascar, and looking for opportunities to develop new collaborations across campus and beyond.
Read more at the link above! ✨
📸: Travis Stanley, Trinity Communications ...
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We promise, this is a real lemur and not a human in a lemur costume 😂
Ring-tailed lemur Doris shows off her "zombie walk" aka the unofficial term for when ring-tailed lemurs (who are normally quadrupedal) take a few steps on their hind legs. It may be an attempt to appear more intimidating... if so, consider us thoroughly intimidated by this very tough 3.7-pound lady! 💪
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/wwl
Want to witness sights like this in person? We still have tickets available for tomorrow morning's off-season Walking with Lemurs tours! Watch a variety of lemur families leap, forage, and play in the fall foliage on our most popular tour, which has been described by guests as a "one-of-a-kind" and "truly memorable" experience 🍂
📸: Sara Nicholson ...
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Stretch spooky season into November with the DLC Museum of Natural History's FREE open house this Saturday from 1-4pm! 💀
Come see bones, bats, and creepy skulls before it's time to think about turkey! We will have paleontologists working on fossils collected in July. Visitors will get to see material that has not seen the light of day in 50 million years. We will also have paleontologists working on complete skeletons of giant lemurs 😱 ...
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Happy Halloween from your favorite prosimian primates! 🎃
Collared lemurs Brie and Bentley, ring-tailed lemurs Thea and Jones, and blue-eyed black lemurs Leigh and McAvoy enjoyed some spooky forage bags earlier this week to get in the Halloween spirit. Their afternoon diets were wrapped up in Jack-o-Lantern paper bags, turning their dinner into a fun and engaging enrichment activity. While their corn isn't of the candy variety, it was still the sweetest treat in the bag—watch how hard the lemurs search for their favorite food! 🌽
🎥: Abby Flyer ...
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Be Part of Our Next Leap!
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/leap
Before a forest is restored.
Before a student discovers a passion.
Before a scientific breakthrough is made.
Before the littlest lemurs can enter the world.
Someone chooses to make a difference.
As we celebrate #worldlemurday2026, we’re reminded that every leap forward for lemurs, conservation, education, and research is made possible by people like you.
Today is the perfect time to plan a special donation to support the DLC’s work and impact. Make your gift today, and help make our next leap possible 💚
Pictured: Ring-tailed lemur Eowyn channels her inner Tony Hawk in the forest this summer 🍃 Photos by Sara Nicholson. ...
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We've got an extra World Lemur Day surprise... Check out our new pins! 🤩
shop.duke.edu/specialties/duke-shoppes/lemur
In collaboration with Peppermint Narwhal Creative, we are excited to announce brand new enamel pins featuring four lemur species: ring-tailed lemur, Coquerel's sifaka, fat-tailed dwarf lemur, and silky sifaka. Each pin comes attached to a card with information about the species and a map of their home range in Madagascar, and all purchases contribute directly to the care and conservation of lemurs 💙
Purchase your favorite (or collect them all!) on our online store or in person at our Lemur Landing Gift Shop #WorldLemurDay2026 ...
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Happy World Lemur Day 2026! 🤩
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/wld26
Lemurs are the most endangered group of mammals on the planet—about 98% of species are threatened with extinction. With nearly 250 animals across 11 species, the Duke Lemur Center houses the world's most diverse population of lemurs outside of their native Madagascar. Since our founding in 1966, we're proud to be a world leader in the study, care, and conservation of lemurs 🌍
There are so many ways that you can join us in celebrating #WorldLemurDay2026, including:
💙 Make a donation at gifts.duke.edu/lemur
🛍️ Shop DLC swag at lemur.duke.edu/shop
🎥 Join our livestreams from Madagascar today (9am ET) and tomorrow (9am and 11am ET) at lemur.duke.edu/wld26
🧡 Symbolically adopt blue-eyed black lemurs Leigh and McAvoy at lemur.duke.edu/adopt
📷 Share your favorite lemur photos (and tag us!)
We're so thankful to celebrate today with our worldwide community of lemur lovers! 💚
📸: Bob Karp (1), Sara Nicholson (2, 6); David Haring (3,5,7); Sara Sorraia (4) ...
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Make your lemur dreams come true by snagging a spot on one of our off-season Walking with Lemurs tours! 🌿
➡️ lemur.duke.edu/wwl
We still have tickets available for Walking with Lemurs tours tomorrow and Monday! Take advantage of the warm autumn weather and watch the DLC's resident lemurs jump, snooze, forage, and play in our multi-acre forest enclosures. You'll journey through the woods with an experienced guide, where you can view the lemurs in the trees from as close as six feet away, with no barriers between you (or your camera lens) and the lemurs! 🤩
Be sure to book your tickets in advance, as we cannot accommodate walk-ins! Tickets are $85 plus tax per person and available to guests ages 10+ 🎟️
🎥: Abby Flyer ...
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