Two endangered black lemurs have arrived at an East Sussex school

Bede’s Senior School is now home to two black lemurs; a species listed as vulnerable on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list.

The pair, Mary, 15-years-old, and Mogoi, six years old, are mother and daughter, having arrived at the school from Parc Animalier d’Auvergne in Southern France.

It is hoped that the new additions will raise awareness of the black lemur’s plight as its numbers decrease due to habitat loss and hunting.

Helen Poyser, zoo manager at Bede’s, said: “We are delighted to welcome Mary and Mogoi to the Bede’s Zoo family, and it is wonderful to see them settling in so well already.

“We are looking to eventually integrate the girls with our ring-tailed lemurs, but this will be a slow process while they get to know each other in adjoined separate enclosures.

“As a species, black lemurs originally hail from Madagascar and have sadly experienced a shocking decline in the wild.

“Our lemurs at Bede’s act as ambassadors for their species, allowing us to educate people and help raise awareness of conservation efforts.”

Bede’s is one of a handful of schools in the UK to have a zoo.

More than 70 species of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates call the zoo home.

Students can visit the zoo to spend time with animals but it is also used by those studying a BTEC animal management course and by the school’s popular Zoological Society.

More information about Bede’s Zoo can be found at its website here.