Rare lemur found in Calif. backyard likely part of illegal animal trade
SACRAMENTO -- A lemur spotted wandering in a backyard in Turlock has found a temporary home at the Sacramento zoo.
Zoo officials said there is no evidence the lemur had escaped from a zoo or sanctuary and that leads them to believe the ring-tailed lemur was part of the illegal animal trade, the Sacramento Bee reported.
"Nobody in the area who is supposed to have a lemur is missing a lemur," said Tonja Candelaria, a zoo spokeswoman. "We are assuming that someone illegally purchased this lemur, had him at their house and he escaped or was let loose."
The lemur was found in December by a Turlock resident who called authorities.
"He doesn't understand normal lemur social skills," Candelaria said.
The animal's behavior shows he hasn't lived with other lemurs, more proof that he is a product of the illegal pet trade, zoo officials said.
"In general they take them away from their parents when they're very young, and they don't get the right nutrition, they don't get the right socialization," Liz Abram, Lead Lemur Keeper at the Oakland Zoo said to CBS San Francisco.
The lemur will have to eventually go to a place where he can learn those skills, Candelaria said.
"We must find a place that knows how to help him learn those skills so that he can live with a troop of other lemurs," she said.
The zoo does have black and white ruffed lemurs and mongoose lemurs. For the time-being, their solitary striped-tailed cousin is on display near them.
Lemurs are native to Madagascar off the coast of Africa.