Crowned lemur born at Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo! Thursday announced the birth of a baby crowned lemur at the Helen Brach Primate House, a first for Lincoln Park Zoo.

The lemur, born April 14, joins its mother (Tucker) and father (Sokkwi, pronounced so-kwee) and older brothers Azizi and Nuru, who all reside at the zoo. The sex and measurements of the infant are yet to be determined, as Tucker is keeping the newborn wrapped very close to her belly. The infant lemur is the fifth offspring of this breeding pair, but first birth at Lincoln Park Zoo.

"Tucker is an experienced mother and the infant is healthy, nursing and growing," said Curator of Primates Maureen Leahy. "We're ecstatic to welcome our first crowned lemur infant who we hope will shed light on this threatened species."

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) website, crowned lemurs are considered threatened due to forest loss due to slash-and-burn practices, habitat fragmentation, charcoal production, mining and other environmental impacts from humans.

Native to Madagascar, these primates are named after the gold crown-like coloration on their heads. These active lemurs forage at all levels of the forest canopy for fruits and leaves, using their 17-18 inch tail to help balance and move swiftly through the trees.