Get Wild During ‘Lemur Week’

Beginning Sunday, March 30 through April 5, the Duke Lemur Center is launching "Lemur Week" to celebrate all things lemur.

The week will feature special events, a scavenger hunt and appearances throughout Duke and Durham by "Maky," the Lemur Center's mascot. All activities lead up to the world premiere of the IMAX movie Island of Lemurs: Madagascar, which opens in theaters April 4. A portion of the movie was shot in Durham at the Duke Lemur Center.

"We're excited for Lemur Week because it will raise awareness of this critically endangered species and highlight the Lemur Center as a unique resource in the community," said Janice Kalin, community and foundation relations coordinator with the Duke Lemur Center. "Five of our fat-tailed dwarf lemurs are featured in the beginning of the movie and we hope people fall in love with these animals like we have."

As a warm-up to Lemur Week, Durham's Fullsteam brewery will host a special event to raise awareness for lemurs and conservation efforts in Madagascar. The event will start at 6 p.m. Saturday, Match 29, at the brewery at 726 Rigsbee Ave. Full information about the event is available on Facebook.

On Sunday, March 30, the Lemur Center will begin a "Lemur Quest" scavenger hunt. Participants will earn points by visiting local businesses, snapping a picture of themselves with a Lemur Week poster and tagging the picture with "#LemurWeek" on social media. Prizes range from free tours at the Duke Lemur Center to gift cards for a spa package and a lemur themed date night for two.

For rules, instructions and a full list of prizes, visit the Lemur Week website.

The Lemur Center has additional activities planned, including lectures and appearances by Maky, which can be found online. Maky’s schedule will be updated each day on the Lemur Week website.