Leaping Lemurs!

So, as promised, here are the photos from my lemur encounter at Linton Zoo. If you happen to be near there any time in the future, it comes highly recommended!

This is one of the Mongoose Lemurs, who was so determined to get to the food bowl that he wasn't shy about using a passing human to reach his goal! Lemurs are named after the lemures (ghosts or spirits) of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species. I was curious about their weight - I've had a chinchilla as a pet and they're very light, more fur than flesh. The Mongoose lemur is smaller than the Red Ruffed and probably weighs in about the same as a fully grown kitten/young cat.

This is Ruby, a Red Ruffed Lemur and my favourite. Ruby and her son Charlie (see the picture below) were the only ones who would consent to be petted. The fur is amazing! I thought it would be like a cat's, but it's much denser, more like sheep's wool and yet very soft.

Charlie

That's carrot he's munching on by the way. Apparently their favourite food is banana and grapes, but too much fruit makes them overweight.

Their 'paws' are hand-like - the palms are bare skin (and a bit chilly from the feel of it!) with nails rather than claws. Ruffed Lemurs actually build nests for their young and can have up to six at a time - the only species of lemur that does this instead of carrying their young around. One parent remains at the nest while the other forages.

One of the Crowned Lemurs didn't care who or what she had to climb over for her stick of carrot. You can't get much closer than that! Did you know that in Madagascar, the poorer people eat lemurs? They make a cheap and easy meal because the tourists tame them. :(
Both the Crowned and the Mongoose Lemurs are classed as Vulnerable. The Red Ruffed is classed as Endangered. The lemurs aren't being killed directly. Human beings destroy the rainforests that lemurs need to survive. I find it sad that pure human greed is pushing this animals toward the risk of extinction.I'd love to see them in Madagascar one day, and I hope that in the future we won't all be reduced to seeing them just at a zoo because there are no longer any left in the wild.

Mongoose Lemurs.Baby Tia with her mum.

Crowned Lemurs. The one on the left is the female. Males have paler faces and less of the red hair.

A handful of lemur!

Ruby isn't too sure about that stick of parsnip.

Family portrait - baby Tia and parents.

Hitting 40

For some people, turning 40 is the beginning of the long, slow slide toward old age, senility, and death. Whoops, sorry, was that a bit strong? :-P


What does it mean for me? Mostly, it's just another number. My younger sister will take the mickey that I've reached another 'landmark' before her. My husband already considers me to have hit my mid-life crisis two years ago when I dyed my hair for the first time, got my first tattoo and started street dance classes at the same time as diving into a writing frenzy. It's only recently that I've taken note myself of the fact that I'm not eighteen any more. But I have even more reason to celebrate my birthday this year.

For one thing, my first book is going to be published. Squeeee! Okay, not until April 2012 (fingers crossed!), but the wheels are moving. Less than two years after writing it I'm pretty stunned to be thinking about being a published author rather than just an aspiring one. As my sister said, that's the kind of birthday present that's hard to beat! :)

And for my bonus gift, I get to fulfil one of my lifetime ambitions (aside from the publishing one). A trip to Linton Zoo to feed lemurs. Lemurs! Another squeee! I LOVE lemurs. Especially the red ruff lemur. At my local zoo in Colchester you have to take a train ride to see the lemurs up close. This time, I'll get REALLY close. Apparently they jump on you. I can't wait! (and I'll post pics. Lots and lots of pics!)

I'm also hoping to save up enough money to buy a Kindle. I have to admit to having a rather sceptical view of ebooks until recently. I much prefer a print book. But since my own will be coming out in electronic form, it seems only right that I should have the medium on which to read it. Right?

And then I bought myself this gorgeous digital print. Isn't it beautiful? This is done by a friend of mine, Trée George, and you can click on the image to see it, and many others, on his website.

I also fulfilled another ambition by getting to wear a sari for the Colchester Carnival. It's been a good year for achievements. :)


All in all, turning forty IS a big landmark for me, but it's not about my age. It's about the things I have to celebrate aside from making it to the big four-o. And having the people I care about here to share it with me. :)

So what did you do for the big four-o? Or is it so far away that you wonder what all the fuss is about? :)