The gathering of the 10 lemurs would launch a new primate exhibit opening Saturday, the first since a Christmas Eve fire a year and a half ago killed 23 animals, including eight lemurs. The ruffed lemurs' trip from Madagascar would be arduous because of stiff U.S. regulations designed to keep animals from bringing in viruses such as Ebola that could cause lethal epidemics. In the hold of the small plane were several disposable contamination suits, made of paperlike material with built-in booties and hoods. Once leaving Madagascar, Junge would wear a new suit every time he came in contact with the animals. Junge spent the night in town at the home of a colleague, and the next day they went to Parc Ivoloina, a zoo where the animals were being held in large enclosures.
Researchers think the species originated in Africa many millions of years ago.
Lemurs, they surmise, floated to Madagascar on tangled masses of vegetation. Unable to compete, the lemurs left behind died off. Madagascar, however, had since drifted too far away to be reached by the other animals. The lemurs were safe until 2,000 years ago, when humans arrived and began clearing the forests to plant crops and graze livestock. Because so many animals and plants in Madagascar are unique to the island, it has become one of the conservation hot spots in the world.