Two critically endangered black and white ruffed lemurs have been born at the south coast's Mogo Zoo, an "insurance policy" for the primates which are now very rare in the wild.

The one-month-old babies have been informally dubbed Lou and Chalkie, after two Mogo zookeepers who both happened to share their birthday with the lemurs.

The Mogo Zoo has welcomed the birth of two baby Black and white Ruffed Lemurs. Credit:Jamila Toderas

"They're moving about quite a lot now, really exploring their environment," curator Lou Grossfeldt said.

But the population of black and white ruffed lemurs in the wild - they are endemic to Madagascar - is declining.