Those eyes are so captivating!

This dynamic duo is going to leap right into your heart. Ten-year-old Jakara and two-year-old Gatsby are collared brown lemurs—the first of their kind to be housed here at the Zoo!

The mother-son pair came to us from Bronx Zoo in New York City last fall and are now living on Little Madagascar with our group of eight ring-tailed lemurs. Jakara and Gatsby can be easily identified from the others as they are brownish in color and have a distinct “beard” that is red or brown.

Although we do not currently breed these primates at the Zoo, we play an important role in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ lemur Species Survival Plans by housing single-sex groups or non-breeding individuals.

Lemurs, which are found only on the island of Madagascar, are among the most threatened mammals in the world. Collared brown lemurs are endangered due to habitat loss and human hunting.

The Zoo has contributed more than $30,000 to conservation programs in Madagascar since 2016. You can help lemurs like Jakara and Gatsby by contributing to an organization that supports lemur conservation, such as Conservation Fusion or Madagascar Wildlife Conservation.