New York, NY, January, 2009 - There's a new troop in town, and they're making themselves at home at the Central Park Zoo, just in time for the new year. The zoo's Rain Forest now boasts seven black and white ruffed lemurs that hail from the Detroit Zoo and range in age from 5 to 25. This family troop consists of one female and six males, with the oldest male being the father of all six youngsters.

Black and white ruffed lemurs-aptly named for their "bearded" visage and their black and white fur-are native to the island of Madagascar. Their coloration pattern varies between individuals, and on average, they weigh between six and ten pounds.

Zookeepers have noted that the lemurs are engaging and easy to train. They are personable and enjoy interacting with their keepers-especially when food is involved! Their diet in the wild and at the zoo consists primarily of fruit. Their exhibit in the Rain Forest formerly housed colobus monkeys, but the zoo expanded the area to give the active lemurs more space to frolic. Trees were also placed in the exhibit to accommodate the lemurs' preferred hang out, above the forest floor, along with a new upper level viewing area that looks into the tree tops. There is a good chance that visitors will hear the lemurs before they see them, as these primates communicate with very loud, shrieking calls, adding to the ambience and the authenticity of the Rain Forest experience.

Black and white ruffed lemurs are classified as endangered. This means the species faces a risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. Hunting and habitat loss are the most major threats to these primates. The Wildlife
Conservation Society, which manages the Central Park Zoo, has worked to save wildlife in Madagascar for nearly three decades. Their work includes collaborating with the Malagasy government to establish the protected areas
of Makira and Masoala, where ruffed lemurs live. WCS now co-manages these parks-the largest protected areas in Madagascar. Together, they span 1,606,185 acres, sheltering some of the rarest species on Earth. At WCS's
flagship Bronx Zoo, interested zoo-goers can experience other amazing species from this exotic island at its new permanent Madgascar! exhibit.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.
www.wcs.org

Special Note to the Media: If you would like to guide your readers or viewers to a Web link where they can make donations in support of helping save wildlife and wild places, please direct them to: www.wcs.org/donation