Is it a boy or a girl? Only time will tell. All baby Mongoose Lemurs are born looking like females. However, at around 6-8 months, males begin to change color and develop their trademark black masks. These pictures were taken yesterday at Sacramento Zoo, when the little Lemur was just ten days old.

Infant Mongoose Lemurs cling tightly to mom’s waist (like in the picture below) and are weaned between five and seven months. Mongoose Lemurs tend to live in small groups of three to four consisting of a mature pair and their immature offspring. The Ankarafantsika Reserve is the only protected area in Madagascar for the Mongoose Lemur. It is under heavy pressure due to forest clearance for pasture, charcoal production and croplands.



Photo credit: Sacramento Zoo

Can you spot the baby in the photo above?