Tracy Fenn

Supervisor of Mammals, 

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Founder & President, Endangered 

Primate Foundation (Prosimian 

Sanctuary)

BEHAVIORBASED 

HUSBANDRY 

FOR LEMURS
AN ANIMAL’S BEHAVIOR IS A KEY INDICATOR OF WELFARE AND A CRITICAL TOOL TO INFORM 

HUSBANDRY DECISIONS. THE GOAL SHOULD BE PROVIDING OPTIMAL CARE, NOT JUST 

MEETING MINIMUM STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS. 

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Photo by Lynde Nunn
San Diego Zoo Global Academy: http://www.sdzglobalacademy.org/courses.html
The best 

husbandry 

programs are 

proactive, based 

on species 

natural history 

and individual 

needs, and 

responsive to 

objective 

evidence of 

welfare. 

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
FOCAL SPECIES

RING-TAILED LEMUR BLACK-AND-WHITE RUFFED LEMUR RED RUFFED LEMUR

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Photos by Brian Price
GENERAL LEMUR NATURAL HISTORY & BEHAVIOR

Rest Feed-Forage

Locomotion

Sunbathe

Socialize Vocalize

Scent-mark

Arboreal 

& 

Terrestrial

What do we know about wild-living 

lemurs?

▪ High levels of choice and control in 

environment

▪ Live in complex and diverse social 

groups

▪ Rely heavily on olfactory 

communication and have diverse vocal 

communication

▪ Sun-bathe for thermo-regulation

▪ Diverse diets and feeding strategies
ACTIVITY BUDGETS (WILD)

25%

28%

46%

53%

19% 19%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Ring-tailed lemur Ruffed lemur

Feed Rest Travel
SPIDER FRAMEWORK
Feed/ 

Forage

• 25% of active time spent feed/ 

foraging

• Opportunistic omnivores: ripe 

fruits, leaves, leaf stems, flowers, 

flower stems, exudates, spiders, 

spider webs, caterpillars, cicadas, 

insect cocoons, birds, 

chameleons, cicadas, 

grasshoppers, and even dirt from 

termite mounds

• Tamarind pods are a major food 

source 

• Feed in social groups

• Most active in morning & late 

afternoon/ evening

• Most terrestrial of lemurs, but 

feed in all strata of the forest

• Do some “work” for all food 

(locate, harvest, process)

RING-TAILED 

LEMURS

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
RING-TAILED 

LEMUR

Goal: Lemurs are eating.

The lemurs are approximating the time their wild counterparts spend on foraging 

and feeding behavior.

The lemurs are utilizing feeding methods/ positions that are the same as or similar 

to those of their wild counterparts. 

The lemurs are, like their wild counterparts, doing some form of “work” for all or 

most of their food. (This is a strategy known as contra free-loading.) 

Set goals

P

I

D

E

R

Feed/ 

Forage
S

Plan

I

D

E

R

RING-TAILED 

LEMUR

Feed/ 

Forage

Scatter feed

Puzzle feeders

Browse/ 

herbs

Hidden foods

Whole/ diced 

produce

Novel foods: 

tamarind 

pods, insects

Food in ice 

blocks

Feeding 

schedule/ 

frequency 

change

Training

Enclosure-top 

feeding

Diverse 

feeding sites 

(ground, midlevel, high)

Safety considerations!
S

P

Implement

D

E

R

RING-TAILED Feed/ LEMUR

Forage

Safety

Observation

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo

Photo by Lauren Darnold
SPI

Document ER

RING-TAILED Feed/ LEMUR

Forage

• Ad-lib notes

• Enrichment log/ 

database

• Cameras/ videos • Formal data collection/ 

research (see 

www.zoomonitor.org

for useful tools) 

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
S

P

I

D

Evaluate

R

RING-TAILED 

LEMUR Feed/ 

Forage

Analyze records –

• Were the behavior goals met? 

• How well? 

• Which initiatives were most successful?

• Safety concerns?
S

P

I

D

E

Re-adjust

RING-TAILED Feed/ LEMUR

Forage

• Modification of devices

• Change in frequency item is offered

• Elimination of ineffective enrichment

San Francisco Zoo
~28% of active time spent feed/ 

foraging

Most frugivorous lemurs

Feed in social groups

Most active in morning and late 

afternoon/ evening

Rarely go to ground, feed mostly in 

upper strata of forest (30-80’)

Suspensory feeding postures

Do some “work” for all food 

(locate, harvest, process)

RUFFED LEMURS

Feed/ 

Forage

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
SUSPENSORY POSTURE

RUFFED LEMUR

Tulsa Zoo

Photo by Rick Kotarsky

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
RUFFED LEMURS

Goal: Lemurs are eating.

The lemurs are approximating the time their wild counterparts spend on foraging 

and feeding behavior.

The lemurs are utilizing feeding methods/ positions that are the same as or similar 

to those of their wild counterparts (i.e. suspensory postures).

The lemurs are, like their wild counterparts, doing some form of “work” for all or 

most of their food. (This is a strategy known as contra free-loading.) 

Set goals

P

I

D

E

R

Feed/ 

Forage
S

Plan IDER

RUFFED LEMUR

Feed/ 

Forage

Scatter 

feed Puzzle 

feeders

Browse/ 

herbs

Hidden 

foods

Whole/ 

diced 

produce

Novel 

foods

Food in ice 

blocks

Feeding 

schedule/ 

frequency 

change

Training

Enclosure-

top 

feeding

Feed up 

high
FEEDING & NUTRITION TIPS

▪ Provide at least as many feeding sites 

as there are group members to reduce 

food competition/ aggression. 

▪ Between lemur species, there are 

significant variations in digestive 

system morphology and thus dietary 

needs. Research dietary needs.

▪ Provide fruit in moderation. Wild fruits 

are more nutritionally similar to 

human-cultivated vegetables. 

▪ Historical reports of hemosiderosis

(iron storage disease) being a 

significant concern for lemurs have 

been debunked. Dietary 

recommendations in those old 

publications could be problematic. 

This feeding strategy (single feeding site) is not likely to be successful in most situations/ groups. 
FEEDING & NUTRITION TIPS

▪ Lemurs are prone to obesity and 

resulting medical issues (diabetes, 

etc.) in human care! Later in life, 

excess weight can be very hard to 

reduce. 

▪ Even if an animal is over-conditioned, 

it does not mean their diet is 

nutritionally complete. 

▪ Ideal weight ranges (Duke Lemur 

Center):

Ring-tailed lemur: 2.2-2.7 kg (4.85-5.95 lbs)

Ruffed lemur: 3.2-3.9 kg (7.05-8.6 lbs)

▪ Ring-tailed lemur nutrition 

information: 

http://www.zutrition.com/ring-tailed- lemur-nutrition-guide/. 

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Photo by John Reed

How Embarrassing!!! 
LOCOMOTION

RUFFED LEMUR

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
LOCOMOTION

RING-TAILED LEMUR

Museum of Life and Science Museum of Life and Science
SET GOALS

P

I

D

E

R

Ring-tailed lemurs

• Quadrupedal 

• Travel in social groups

• Most active in morning & late 

afternoon/ evening

• ~70% of travel is terrestrial

• ~33% of day spent on ground, 

23-25% in mid to upper canopy, 

~13% in small bushes, ~6% in 

emergent layer

Ruffed lemurs

▪ Quadrupedal

▪ Travel in social groups

▪ Most active in morning 

and late afternoon/ 

evening

▪ Rarely go to ground

▪ Suspensory postures

LOCOMOTION & BEHAVIOR
Locomotion

Space 

(vertical & 

horizontal)

Tree 

branches

Shelves

Ropes & 

Swings

Chutes & 

Ladders

Access to 

ground 

(substrates)

Hammocks

Natural 

Vegetation

S

PLAN

I

D

E

R
ENCLOSURE TYPES

MOATED EXHIBITS/ ISLANDS

Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Photo by Victoria Karabanova

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Photo by Jeannie Gordon

Warning: Drowning hazard!
ENCLOSURE TYPES

MESH ENCLOSED

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Photo by Tracy Fenn

Endangered Primate Foundation’s Prosimian Sanctuary

Photo by Tracy Fenn

Endangered Primate Foundation’s Prosimian Sanctuary

Photo by Tracy Fenn
ENCLOSURE TYPES

SEMI-FREE RANGE FORESTS

Warning: Not appropriate or safe for managing hyper-aggressive animals (i.e. former pets)! 

Lemur Conservation Foundation
ENCLOSURE FURNITURE

Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Photo by Victoria Karabanova
ENCLOSURE FURNITURE
ENCLOSURE FURNITURE
ENCLOSURE FURNITURE

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Photo by Lynde Nunn Museum of Life and Science
Sway poles 

– Lincoln Park Zoo

Photo by Maureen Leahy

ENCLOSURE 

FURNITURE

Lincoln Park Zoo

Photo by Maureen Leahy
ENCLOSURE TIPS

▪ State and federal regulations enclosure size and complexity are often viewed as 

insufficient by most primatologists. The goal should be to exceed the minimum 

requirements as much as feasibly possible. 

▪ Safety must be the top priority. 

▪ Vertical space and outdoor access (weather permitting) is important to lemurs.
SOCIALIZATION

Tulsa Zoo

Photo by Pat Murphy

Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Photo by Victoria Karabanova

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Photo by Jeannie Gordon
Socialization

Conspecifics

Other 

compatible 

species

Caregivers

RING-TAILED 

LEMURS

Ring-tailed lemurs live in multi- male, multi-female groups ranging 

in size from 4-31 pending location. 

Females are dominant and remain 

in natal group; males emigrate. 

They are sympatric with at least 

nine other prosimian species in the 

wild. In human care, they have 

been successfully housed with at 

least 12 other lemur species 

(including Ruffed lemurs and 

Eulemur sp.) and over 30 different 

non-prosimian mammals and birds. 
Socialization

Conspecifics

Other 

compatible 

species

Caregivers

RUFFED LEMURS

Ruffed lemurs live in diverse social 

structures best described as multimale/ multi-female fission-fusion 

communities. Core groups of 2-9 

animals (but up to 31) within 

communities often include two 

females, multiple males, and 

offspring. In human care, females 

are dominant but this is not clear in 

the wild. They are sympatric with 

at least nine other prosimian 

species in the wild. In human care, 

they have been successfully housed 

with at least 12 other lemur 

species (including Ruffed lemurs 

and Eulemur sp.) and over 30 

different non-prosimian mammals 

and birds. 
MIXED-SPECIES GROUPS

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Photo by Tracy Fenn

Endangered Primate Foundation’s Prosimian Sanctuary

Photo by Tracy Fenn
Unconventional mixed-species 

group at Jacksonville Zoo and 

Gardens: Angolan colobus, Ringtailed lemurs, Black-and-white 

ruffed lemur. 

Photo by Tracy Fenn

MIXED-SPECIES 

GROUPS
MIXED-SPECIES CONSIDERATIONS

▪ Success depends on group structure and individual characteristics

▪ Avoid mixing species that occupy the same ecological niche

▪ Plan for staff time to appropriately conduct introductions and continuously monitor

▪ Periodic group dynamic changes (often seasonal)

▪ For disease control, never mix species native to different continents! Lemur immune 

systems are very naïve. 
SUN-BATHING

RING-TAILED LEMUR

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
SUN-BATHING

RUFFED LEMUR

Tulsa Zoo Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Photo by Victoria Karabanova
Sunbathing

Access to 

outdoors/ 

sun

Comfortable 

resting 

surfaces

Choice/ 

control in 

temperature 

gradients

SUN-BATHING

Thermoregulation function

Lemurs sit upright on their 

haunches, spread-eagle, and rest 

their forearms on their knees, 

exposing their undersides to direct 

sunlight.
Scentmarking

Vertical 

surfaces

Horizontal 

surfaces

Scent 

enrichment

Avoid overcleaning

RING-TAILED 

LEMURS

Communicates information on sex, 

location, and identity. 

Females use ano-genital glands to 

mark surfaces and males use scent 

glands on the wrist which include a 

“spur” that allows them to gouge 

scent into a surface. 
SCENT MARKING

RING-TAILED LEMUR

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
SCENT MARKING

RING-TAILED LEMUR

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
“Stink Fight”

RING-TAILED 

LEMUR 
Scentmarking

Vertical 

surfaces

Horizontal 

surfaces

Scent 

enrichment

Avoid overcleaning

RUFFED LEMURS

Communicates information on sex, 

location, and identity. Also plays a 

role in greetings, with one animal 

marking another. 

Females mark with ano-genital 

glands (mostly on horizontal 

surfaces) and males with chest, 

neck, and mandible glands (on 

horizontal and vertical surfaces). 

Sometimes they mark using 

methods typical to opposite sex. 
Problem 

Solving

Feeding 

strategies

Social 

interaction

Cognitive 

trials

Enclosure 

furniture 

changes

Training
RESTING – AN IMPORTANT NATURAL BEHAVIOR

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Castor
Rest

Access to 

elevated 

surfaces

Clam/ quiet 

environments

REST

Ring-tailed and Ruffed lemurs in 

the wild sleep in trees. 
ENRICHMENT CATEGORIES (EXAMPLES)

▪ Social

▪ Physical

▪ Dietary/ Feeding

▪ Sensory

▪ Occupational

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
PHYSICAL ENRICHMENT

Little Rock Zoo

Photos by Karen Caster
DIETARY/ FEEDING ENRICHMENT

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
SENSORY ENRICHMENT

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Photo by Jessica Watters

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

PAINTING – SENSORY 

& OCCUPATIONAL 

ENRICHMENT
OCCUPATIONAL ENRICHMENT - TRAINING

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Photo by Victoria Karabanova
TRAINING FOR HUSBANDRY AND MEDICAL 

CARE IS IMPORTANT TO ANIMAL WELFARE 

Think you don’t have a training program or 

time for one? Think again!

Every interaction between a human and an 

animal is teaching it something...good or bad! 

It is best to acknowledge this and 

strategically plan rather than have a 

haphazard program with little consistency 

between trainers. 

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster
IMPORTANT BEHAVIORS

Shifting

Separation

Medicating

Weighing

Little Rock Zoo

Photo by Karen Caster

Training lemurs to voluntarily 

participate in their own medical 

care reduces stress to them and 

personnel and improves medical 

monitoring and treatment 

capabilities. In some cases, it can 

be life-saving. 
ABERRANT BEHAVIORS IN LEMURS

▪ Hyper-aggression (toward conspecifics 

and/or humans

▪ Stereotypic bouncing

▪ Pacing

▪ Self-biting

▪ Head tossing

Proper rearing and social experience is 

critical to avoiding aberrant behaviors 

and preserving overall behavioral 

competence. Hand-rearing should be 

avoided at all costs. When necessary, 

early reintroduction to conspecifics is 

key. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Photo by Tracy Fenn

In cases of insufficient milk supply, supplemental feedings are 

effective and allow infants to remain with the dam. 
RESPONSIBLE PRACTICES IN PUBLIC MESSAGING

▪ Scientific research indicates that viewing 

non-human primates with humans or in 

human environments skews public 

perceptions of conservation status and/or 

appropriateness as pets. 

https://docs.com/plosone/6295/impact-of-visual-context-on-public-perceptions-of

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0069215

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0022050

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0026048

▪ Regular removal of lemurs (even 

temporarily) from their social group for 

“demonstrations” poses risks to animal 

welfare, social group cohesion, and human 

health/ safety. 

▪ With over 15,000 non-human primates in 

personal possession in the US alone, we all 

have a responsibility to do our part to stop 

the demand! 

Leash-walking or otherwise “handling” lemurs 

misrepresents their nature and skews public 

perceptions, diminishing animal welfare and 

conservation efforts.
ONLINE RESOURCES (ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND 

AQUARIUMS – AZA)

▪ Personal Possession of Non-human Primates White Paper

https://www.aza.org/assets/2332/personal_possession_of_nonhuman_primates_7212015.pdf

▪ AZA Animal Care Manuals

https://www.aza.org/animal-care-manuals
LEMUR SANCTUARY NETWORK

▪ Collaboration of vetted, reputable lemur sanctuaries working to address the 

tremendous demand for placement of lemurs from personal possession and other 

sources. 

▪ If your organization currently houses or is interested in housing lemurs, please email Tracy Fenn at info@endangeredprimate.org and she will send you a link to a 

survey regarding joining this collaboration.