For the first time, a critically endangered blue-eyed black lemur — one of the only nonhuman primates to have blue eyes — was born at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.



Born on March 25, the infant lemur is still a brown color and blends in with its mother. But if it is male it will develop darker coloring in the next month, according to the zoo.

"Keepers do not yet know the gender and are maintaining a hands-off approach because mom is doing so well caring for her newborn," said zoo spokeswoman JJ Vitale. "The youngster will continue to spend time with the parents in a quiet, behind-the-scenes space where they can strengthen their bond and their keepers can keep a close eye on the infant."



First-time parents Hendricks and Hemsworth came to Jacksonville in 2017 with a breeding recommendation. A new species for the zoo, they share the Madagascar exhibit in the zoo's African Forest with three other lemur species: ringtail, black and white ruffed and Coquerel’s sifakas.



Like all lemurs, blue-eyed black lemurs are native to the island of Madagascar off the coast of Africa, where their habitat is under pressure by "slash and burn agriculture," according to the zoo. With an estimated 1,000 or fewer individuals in the wild, the lemurs’ successful breeding at zoos and at the Duke Lemur Center, a research foundation in North Carolina, is important for the species.



Beth Reese Cravey: (904) 359-4109