Nothing about the new conspiracy running wild at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is deceptive. A group of lemurs is called a conspiracy.
A 4-year-old female black-and-white ruffed lemur named Volana, or “V” for short, joins males Albert and Saunders. The word “volana” translates to “moon” in Malagasy, the language spoken in Madagascar, where lemurs are found in the wild.
V traveled via Alaska Airlines and arrived at the Tacoma Zoo in May from her previous home in Iowa.
In the Kids’ Zone area of the zoo, guests can see and often hear the conspiracy. They love to swing, climb, and play on their treetop ropes and low rocks.
Lemurs live in a matriarchal society where females are the ones in charge. Keepers say V is already staying true to that. Though females lead the way, both males and females are important to a conspiracy.
Lemurs are social primates that live in large groups where communication is critical. They live high in the often dense forests of Madagascar, and their loud calls can penetrate through the dense foliage. All three lemurs frequently call throughout the day with loud vocalizations that may sound like fighting but are actually essential calls they use to keep track of the group.
Black-and-white ruffed lemurs are listed as critically endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) primarily due to hunting and habitat loss.
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