Sifaka baby at Saint Louis Zoo

(Note this video does not have sound.)
A baby Coquerel's sifaka (CO-cue-rals she-FAK), an endangered lemur species from Madagascar, was born at the Saint Louis Zoo on February 16, 2009. This is video of "Ophelia" at about one month old with her mother "Almirena", age 6.

Sifakas are among the most amazing types of lemurs because of their long, frog-like legs. Clinging to the trunk of a tree, sifaka can kick off with their powerful legs and leap more than 30 feet to another tree. On the ground, with arms raised, they move in a charmingly odd bipedal hop.

The Saint Louis Zoo is one of only eight institutions in the U.S. that are home to this species. The Zoo's sifakas are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Coquerels Sifaka Population Management Plan, which is responsible for maintaining a genetically healthy population of sifakas in North American zoos. The birth of this rare lemur in St. Louis represents a valuable genetic contribution to the North American sifaka population.

Read more about lemurs at www.stlzoo.org/animals.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• sifaka
• lemur
• primate