The five females, all aged four, recently arrived from New Zealand and have been settling into their new home.

Since touching down, they’ve been busy exploring every corner of their habitat whilst keeping the Primate team on their toes.

Affectionately known as, Anita, Charmaine, Willow, Damayanthi and Ronell, the five Ring-tailed Lemurs were originally named after mums of keepers at Hamilton Zoo, where they began their journey before making the move to Perth.

The energetic group is our first international transfer since 2018, and their arrival marks an exciting milestone for our conservation efforts.

As mature females, we're hopeful all five of them will contribute to their important role in regionally coordinated breeding programs.

The next step is finding the right match, and we’re working closely with regional partners to bring in a group of eligible bachelors.

Known collectively as a 'conspiracy' of lemurs, the species typically live in large social groups, with females and males living side by side. 

Unlike many other primate species, female lemurs are the dominant ones, making this conspiracy of lemurs a force to be reckoned with. 

While many people recognise Ring-tailed Lemurs for their distinctive stripey tails and appearances in popular movies, their species face serious threats in the wild.

Ring-tailed Lemurs are listed as endangered, with habitat loss, hunting and the illegal wildlife trade continuing to impact wild populations in Madagascar.

That’s why we work with the Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group to directly support their on-ground conservation efforts.  

Funds provided to this project help purchase native lemur habitat and train rangers to protect the land against poachers, while protecting the country’s struggling biodiversity.  

You can see the newest residents every day from 9am to 5pm in the African Savannah.