A red-ruffed lemur escaped from the Duke Lemur Center Friday.
According to an article from WRAL.com, the lemur—named Avion—explored wooded areas outside the Center for five hours before he was recaptured. He was found in a homeowners garage a mile and a half away from its home on Erwin Road.
“Today is his birthday,” Greg Dye, operations manager at the center, said in the article. “He was born five years ago, so this may be a birthday party that got out of control. We’re not sure, but we’re not taking any chances, either.”
Staff at the Center received a phone call from a Durham local notifying them that the lemur was seen crossing the road. Avion wears a radio collar, but the signal was intermittent on Friday, making it difficult for staff members to track the lemur down. Staff at the Center do not know how Avion escaped.
The Duke Lemur Center was founded in 1966 and has the largest collection of lemurs outside of Madagascar.
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