- December 24, 2024
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Just outside of Myakka City, about a 35-minute drive from south Lakewood Ranch, the Lemur Conservation Foundation (LCF) has been quietly protecting and conserving lemurs — among the most primitive of primates — for nearly 30 years.
Today, 54 lemurs live at this 130-acre reserve, tucked into a deep Florida forest ecosystem. They range from babies born this year to Yuengling – a 32-year-old ring-tailed lemur who has fathered 10 children, leading to 45 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
“Those babies get away with everything,” says curator Meredith Hinton, a young zoologist who’s showing me around, along with Deborah Robbins Millman, LCF’s executive director. “They could be jumping on the dad’s head, and he just takes it.”
Hinton lives on the LCF campus in a cracker-style cabin with her rescued pit bull mix Toph. As she describes the behaviors of Furry and Fuzzy — two red ruffed lemur twins born April 20 to Zazabe and Ranomamy — it’s clear she’s intimately familiar with every lemur denizen here. She knows their names, lineages, personalities and proclivities.
As we navigate a tour around LCF’s southern enclosure, Hinton points to a medium-sized red ruffed lemur and explains that this “teenage” daughter is rallying to dominate her father. It’s no surprise, given that two of the five lemur species at the reserve — the critically endangered red ruffed lemurs and the endangered ring-tailed lemurs — live in a matriarchal hierarchy. In some lemur social groups, often called “conspiracies,” the females hold the highest rank. For those conspiracies, females are in charge, controlling access to resources such as food and the best spots in the forest enclosures they call home. Three more species of lemurs are on site: mongoose (critically endangered), collared brown (endangered) and common brown (vulnerable).
“There are more than 110 species of lemur and 98% are threatened with extinction,” Millman says, explaining that some may even disappear in the next generation. “It’s critical that we continue to expand our efforts to save these irreplaceable animals.”
These two dedicated women, along with a small, full-time staff here and in Madagascar, keep the LCF and its primate residents alive and protected. The reserve offers a safe, semi-natural environment where the lemurs can live in family groups and maintain social structures as they would in the wild, as much as possible. One notable exception is that each has an air-conditioned space within.
LCF was founded in 1996 by Penelope Bodry-Sanders, who recognized the urgent need to protect lemurs from extinction in their native Madagascar. From the outset, she pursued a two-fold mission: to protect endangered lemurs at the Lemur Conservation Foundation while developing programs in Madagascar aimed at preserving natural habitats, combating deforestation and improving the lives of local communities.
Today, LCF is a globally recognized leader in lemur conservation. Millman has led the organization since 2020, continuing Bodry-Sanders’ legacy of education, conservation and scientific research.
“Our staff in Madagascar includes a program manager and community health and forest monitoring managers,” Millman explains. “We take a holistic approach to conservation, recognizing that protecting lemurs goes hand in hand with supporting the Malagasy people,” she adds.
The overall goal is to conserve and protect lemurs, both in their natural habitat, and through breeding in accordance with the Species Survival Program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). LCF is also actively involved in reforestation, planting thousands of trees and introducing fuel-efficient stoves to reduce deforestation.
Millman is especially proud of LCF’s Ako Conservation Education Program, which uses storytelling and art to educate and engage Malagasy children in environmental conservation. The late Dr. Alison Jolly, a key figure in lemur conservation, created the Ako program to inspire future generations to protect Madagascar’s unique biodiversity.
To date, Ako has produced six children’s books (“The Ako Series”) written by Jolly and illustrated by Deborah Ross, plus posters, lesson plans and other materials for educators. LCF continues to support this mission, fostering a love for lemurs in both local communities and international audiences.
In 2016, LCF launched an expansion plan for the Myakka reserve. A major highlight of this initiative is the creation of the seven-acre Elizabeth Moore Lemur Forest, which allows lemurs more space to roam freely.
“We’re waiting for a permit to build a third lemur building, which is currently in the final review stage with the county,” says Millman, adding that strategic plans and goals are reviewed regularly to adapt to changing dynamics.
LCF is also making significant strides in lemur conservation at a broader level. “We now house 25 percent of all mongoose lemurs in AZA facilities,” she notes. This achievement underscores LCF’s role in maintaining genetic diversity for endangered species and highlights the foundation’s contribution to global conservation efforts.
In recent years, LCF has expanded its reach, and it shows. “I’ve seen a greater awareness for the plight of lemurs since I became executive director,” says Millman. “Our online outreach, through events like the World Lemur Festival, social media, and e-blasts, has brought international attention to our cause.”
One example of how the organization engages the global community and raises awareness and support for lemur conservation is through its annual World Lemur Festival. This year, the seventh annual event was Oct. 21-25. Nina Garza from Spring, Texas, was named the Lemur Conservation Foundation’s 2024 Artist of the Year. Her artwork, “Plea from the Shadows,” and other winners can be seen on the organization’s website.
Despite LCF’s achievements, lemurs remain one of the most endangered mammal groups in the world. More than 95 of lemur species are still at risk due to habitat loss, hunting, and the illegal pet trade, making LCF’s mission — to preserve and conserve lemurs through managed breeding, research, education and art — more important than ever.
After all, as Millman says, “It’s up to us to save lemurs from extinction.”
