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  1. #12161
    I have never visited the Duke Lemur Center and have a question. Do the lemurs roam the Duke forest at will or do they have an enclosed habitat? I know there is a primate building but I couldn't tell from the DLC website how things are laid out - all enclosed habitats, large open area, or what. I assume they have some kind of enclosed habitat but don't know enough about the climate differences between NC and their native habitat to know for sure. (I am asking this as a serious question - I'm not trying to fan any flames from the front page "story".) Next time I'm in Durham, I need to try to schedule a tour.
    Last edited by DukieInKansas; 04-01-2009 at 03:49 PM. Reason: added sentence.

  2. #12162
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Lexington, KY

    Smile

    Quote Originally Posted by DukieInKansas View Post
    I have never visited the Duke Lemur Center and have a question. Do the lemurs roam the Duke forest at will or do they have an enclosed habitat? I know there is a primate building but I couldn't tell from the DLC website how things are laid out - all enclosed habitats, large open area, or what. I assume they have some kind of enclosed habitat but don't know enough about the climate differences between NC and their native habitat to know for sure. (I am asking this as a serious question - I'm not trying to fan any flames from the front page "story".) Next time I'm in Durham, I need to try to schedule a tour.
    Some lemurs are housed strictly indoors. For example, some of the small, strictly nocturnal species would be impossible to deal with outdoors.

    Other species are housed in enclosures that are part of the main building of the DLC. These runs used to be technically outdoors, but individuals can be moved indoors.

    Other species are housed in these enclosures during part of the year, and then live in the forested enclosures. Over the years, these enclosures have been encircled by fences, and have some electricity protecting them, keeping the lemurs in, if they get too close. The size of these enclosures varies, but they essentially have enclosures that have been fairly large (several acres). In one of the enclosures, there's a classroom. I'd call it the best classroom at Duke.

    NOTE: There was an earlier mention of "free range" lemurs. Technically, any time they are free to roam and establish a home range (the area that they use throughout the course of a year), they are said to be "free-ranging." This is obviously the case in nature. At Duke, because they are not quite in that sort of situation, I have seen papers in which these primates are said to be "semi-free-ranging."

    Temperatures in North Carolina can be much cooler than in Madagascar, but likewise can get warmer than in Madagascar. There used to be heat lamps in covered shelters for the lemurs; it's been a few years since I've studied there, but I would imagine the heat lamps are still around.

    If I were setting up a tour, I'd try to go during the mid-late Spring, Summer, and early Fall, when lemurs are in the natural habitat enclosures. Early summer means that if there are kids, they should be old enough to start taking their first steps. ALWAYS cool! Check to make sure that the lemurs are in the natural habitat enclosures.

    The DLC is unlike any other primate center I have experienced, and I'd probably not have become a primatologist had I gone anywhere else for my bachelor's.

    The facility has an important role in research, conservation, education at Duke, and in public education (as per alteran's earlier post). It is not a zoo. It does a lot of things. So try to schedule well in advance. There's also a good place to buy all sorts of lemur things (my favorite being the bobbleheaded lemur).

    Of course, if you have a few thousand dollars, I know a few sites in Madagascar that are priceless!

    Cheers,
    Lavabe
    Last edited by Lavabe; 04-01-2009 at 04:20 PM. Reason: technically

  3. #12163
    Thank you, Lavabe. I'm sorry I never got by there eons ago while a student. Poor planning on my part. I should have found a way to take a class that would have involved the lemurs in some way. My favorite classes were those outside my major. I will definitely try to schedule a tour if I get back to Durham - not a frequent occurance in my life.

    I figured there must be some way of containing the lemurs to a set area to protect them from outside influences/predators. Just the thought of a bobbleheaded lemur makes me smile so I can see why it would be a favorite.

    Going to Madagascar would be a blast. Maybe I can go as your assistant the next time you schedule a trip. I hope your travel this summer won't be impacted by the current political situation.

  4. #12164
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Lexington, KY
    Quote Originally Posted by DukieInKansas View Post
    Thank you, Lavabe. I'm sorry I never got by there eons ago while a student. Poor planning on my part. I should have found a way to take a class that would have involved the lemurs in some way. My favorite classes were those outside my major. I will definitely try to schedule a tour if I get back to Durham - not a frequent occurance in my life.

    I figured there must be some way of containing the lemurs to a set area to protect them from outside influences/predators. Just the thought of a bobbleheaded lemur makes me smile so I can see why it would be a favorite.

    Going to Madagascar would be a blast. Maybe I can go as your assistant the next time you schedule a trip. I hope your travel this summer won't be impacted by the current political situation.
    One more note: things really do change every year, so some of those descriptions I have given for the DLC may have been changed slightly since the last time I stopped by (just before the changeover to the current director).

    Travel to Madagascar is definitely being impacted, but I am still going to try and do it. A more serious conservation issue surfaced just the other day:
    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29958646/

    However, my local contacts assure me that I will be okay where I am going.

    Cheers,
    Lavabe

  5. #12165
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Greenville, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by DukieInKansas View Post
    I have never visited the Duke Lemur Center and have a question. Do the lemurs roam the Duke forest at will or do they have an enclosed habitat? I know there is a primate building but I couldn't tell from the DLC website how things are laid out - all enclosed habitats, large open area, or what. I assume they have some kind of enclosed habitat but don't know enough about the climate differences between NC and their native habitat to know for sure. (I am asking this as a serious question - I'm not trying to fan any flames from the front page "story".) Next time I'm in Durham, I need to try to schedule a tour.

    The Lemur Center offers tours during reunion weekends. I'm signed up for the Friday at 1:00 p.m. tour on April 17. I hope the lemurs won't be taking their afternoon naps then. I'm looking forward to seeing them then and learning more about them. I hope to have pictures to share.

  6. #12166
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    St. Louis, MO
    Quote Originally Posted by Bostondevil View Post
    First, I got the envelope back from Tommy with the signature. Then I heard that my play 'Almost Made in Heaven' will definitely be in that festival in Charlotte. Performances are June 3-6. I'm going to fly down, probably to Durhan then drive over to Charlotte with my brother either Friday or Saturday night, maybe both! I'll have to get together with Durham DBR folks while I'm there too!
    Congrats, Bd! Yet another example of the power of the vibes! (and, of course, of Bd's great playwriting skills...)

  7. #12167
    Hmmm...lemurs...

  8. #12168
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Lexington, KY
    Quote Originally Posted by YmoBeThere View Post
    Hmmm...lemurs...
    Sure beats the cat avatar thread (check out cspan's April 1 cat thread on the EK Forum)...

  9. #12169
    Quote Originally Posted by Lavabe View Post
    Sure beats the cat avatar thread (check out cspan's April 1 cat thread on the EK Forum)...
    I think dogs aren't getting their share of avatar time. Let's have more dogs.


    eta - I have as many posts as the year I graduated 1982 - at least until the next purging of posts.

    2nd eta - but not anymore.

  10. #12170
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Lexington, KY

    Smile

    Quote Originally Posted by DukieInKansas View Post
    I think dogs aren't getting their share of avatar time. Let's have more dogs.


    eta - I have as many posts as the year I graduated 1982 - at least until the next purging of posts.

    2nd eta - but not anymore.
    Now you have as many posts as the year I graduated, 1983 -- at least until the next purging of posts.

    My year was the year of Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans.

  11. #12171
    Quote Originally Posted by Lavabe View Post
    Now you have as many posts as the year I graduated, 1983 -- at least until the next purging of posts.

    My year was the year of Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans.
    I'm not sure who was in my class - but now I think I have as many posts at the year CathyCA and BostonDevil graduated.

    eta - oops I can't count. I think 1985 is the year after they graduated. I wonder where I posted 1984. Is that a sign of being a PW - not remembering where you put your last post?

  12. #12172
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Boston area, OK, Newton, right by Heartbreak Hill
    CathyCa is '84, I'm '85.

  13. #12173

    Freakin March!

    Ugh, what a crappy month! I'm looking forward to Spring, looking forward to moving back to North Carolina, and I'm looking forward to better times. Here's to brighter days folks. I hope the sun shines on you all.

    9F-ily,

    2535Miles

  14. #12174
    Quote Originally Posted by Bostondevil View Post
    CathyCa is '84, I'm '85.
    A gentleman never asks...

  15. #12175
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Back in Vegas... again.
    I've been up since 2:30 AM. Boy, this is fun. Not.

    Edit: I was born in 1971. (Do the math.) This is post #1971, at least until mods do some more clean up.

  16. #12176
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Back in Vegas... again.
    I'm still awake.

  17. #12177
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Lexington, KY

    Smile

    Quote Originally Posted by sue71 View Post
    I'm still awake.
    I am too.

    Whoops... an 8AM class will do that to you!

    Having trouble getting the bird-flapping and cawwing out of your mind? Hey ... and you saw it LIVE!

  18. #12178

    Duke Lemur Center

    I took a tour of the Lemur Center this past December. During the colder months a tent is put around the enclosures and heat lamps are turned on in each enclosure to keep the lemurs warm. The ring tail lemurs were huddled together on top of the box containing the heat lamp in their enclosure.

    In addition to the tours around the enclosures, the Lemur Center offers tours in the "semi-free range" areas. Children have to be at least 11 to participate in those tours. This tour is a little pricey, $100/tour, but up to 4 people can participate on the tour. So, if a few other people want to set up one of those tours with Knights68 and me, let us know.

  19. #12179
    Quote Originally Posted by Lavabe View Post
    I am too.

    Whoops... an 8AM class will do that to you!

    Having trouble getting the bird-flapping and cawwing out of your mind? Hey ... and you saw it LIVE!
    I have always had a bad reaction to 8:00 a.m. classes.

  20. #12180
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Greenville, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by YmoBeThere View Post
    A gentleman never asks...
    Well, thank you for being a gentleman. They are in mighty short supply around here.

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