Aye-aye Pod

Description: Over the last few years, Aye-aye Pod co-host Matt Borths has been part of a paleontology team exploring an exciting new fossil site called Topernawi, which is near Lake Turkana in northern Kenya. But, aren’t lemurs from Madagascar? What’s a Lemur Center paleontologist doing in Kenya? In this episode, co-host Megan McGrath turns the interview spotlight on Matt to figure out if he’s landed on the wrong continent. Turns out Topernawi – a fossil site that was only discovered a few years ago – may have ancient apes, monkeys, and lemur fossils from the time just before lemurs rafted across the ocean to Madagascar. Topernawi has fossils of remarkable African creatures like elephant and giant hyraxes. Tune in for the lemurs. Stay for the giant hyraxes. Matt and Megan also discuss baby season at the Duke Lemur Center, other famous fossils from Kenya, and the weird objects Megan needs to find to tell the story of lemur reproduction.    

Click here for a full transcript of this episode.

Click here for a blog post about Matt’s time at Topernawi.

Click here for the research paper on the skeleton of Homo habilis. 

Click here for news coverage of the skeleton of Homo habilis.

Click here for Wikipedia’s rundown of Lake Turkana fun facts.

Click here for images of Turkana from Matt’s time teaching a field course there.

The post A Busy Time in Primate Evolution: Spring 2026 first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

In this episode of Aye-aye Pod, we discuss a truly incredible little lemur with evolutionary superpowers: the fat-tailed dwarf lemur!

Dwarf lemurs are the only members of our primate family tree that are obligate hibernators. Tune in for a crash course in what makes these hibernating primates so fascinating and how the DLC’s non-harmful research into their unique adaptations could have far-ranging impacts from conservation to human health to deep space travel.

Learn more! Scroll down for additional articles and resources, read a full transcript of this episode, and explore our website learn all about Duke Lemur Center.

The Anna Borruel Codina Center for Lemur Medicine and Research is equipped with two hibernation rooms, called hibernacula, that allow husbandry and research staff to mimic the natural conditions that modulate hibernation in the wild. Doing this, we’re able to replicate, to a degree, the dwarf lemurs’ experiences in Madagascar and gain insight into how this incredible survival technique works.

From Lemurs to Lift-off: Lemurs are laying the groundwork for interstellar travel

After astronauts wake up from hibernation, will they still be able to drive the spacecraft? Duke researchers are studying lemurs to find out. Read on the blog or on pages 40-43 of LEMURS Magazine: Reasons for Hope.

Researcher Spotlight: The field of hibernation is hot, hot, hot… and dwarf lemurs are the hottest topic of all

Although traditionally focused on arctic and temperate species, today the field of hibernation is hot, hot, hot—figuratively and literally. And because dwarf lemurs are the closest relatives to humans capable of hibernation, they’re the hottest topic of all. Read on the blog or on pages 44-47 of LEMURS Magazine: Reasons for Hope.

Lemur Dreams: Is hibernation an elixir of life? 

Why do dwarf lemurs live so long—and can humans, too? Jonas, the world’s oldest known fat-tailed dwarf lemur, lived at the DLC and died just months shy of his 30th birthday. Non-hibernating mammals of similar size have much shorter life spans of just two to three years. Read on the blog or on pages 14-15 of LEMURS Magazine: The “Why” Issue.

Researcher Spotlight: Studying dwarf lemurs in Madagascar

In addition to studying dwarf lemurs under more controlled conditions at the DLC, we also study dwarf lemurs in their natural environments in Madagascar, including our new research station at Anjajavy Reserve. This research can shed light into the long-term effect of habitat disturbance (such as forest fragmentation) on dwarf lemurs’ ability to hibernate and rely on alternative food sources. Read on the blog or on pages 28-29 of LEMURS Magazine: The “Where” Issue.

Hibernating Lemurs Can Turn Back the Clock on Cellular Aging 

Many age-related changes start within our cells, even our DNA, which can wear and tear over time as we get older. But dwarf lemurs have come up with a way to reverse this process, at least temporarily. Figuring out how they do it may help researchers develop new ways to prevent or treat age-related diseases in humans without increasing the risks of runaway cell division that can lead to cancer. Read the article from Phys.org on the DLC blog and the original research published in the journal Biology Letters. 

The post A Creature That Has a Superpower: Winter 2026 first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Aye-aye Pod is back! In this episode, we cover what’s kept us away, what you can expect in future episodes, and what happens at the Duke Lemur Center as we transition into cooler weather. Tune in with your hosts Megan and Matt for a behind-the-scenes discussion of what it takes to free-range lemurs to leap, snack, and snooze in large forest habitats, a gross-but-cool (grool?) ring-tailed lemur fact, and an exciting paleontology development closer to the human side of our primate family tree!

Click HERE for a transcript of this episode.

For more information on all things Duke Lemur Center visit our website.

The post Rules for Free-ranging: Fall 2025 first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

With nearly 40 years of experience working in Madagascar conservation (15 of which were spent living in Madagascar), Charlie Welch has an incredible wealth of wisdom to share. In this episode, we learn about the origins of the Duke Lemur Center’s conservation work in Madagascar. Then, we dive into the incredible story of 13 black and white ruffed lemurs that were released back into the wild between 1998-2001. You won’t want to miss this incredible slice of Duke Lemur Center history! 

DLC Madagascar Conservation Programs Overview – CLICK HERE

John Cleese collaboration for World Lemur Day (video) – CLICK HERE

John Cleese’s favorite project (article) – CLICK HERE

Into the Wild – Operation Lemur (information on a John Cleese documentary the discusses this same story) – CLICK HERE

The post S4E7 You Have to Work with People: A Lemur Reintroduction Story first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

The fossil record of Madagascar is incredible. There are unicorn-horned meat-eating dinosaurs, colossal flightless birds, and lemurs the size of gorillas. Dr. Noromamy Rahanaharivao is a paleontologist in Madagascar who is excavating her country’s past biodiversity. She’s done research on monkey-like Archaeolemur and has searched flooded caves of Tsimanampetsotsa National Park for the remains of Pachylemur, a giant relative of ruffed lemurs. Join Dr. Rahanaharivao as she tells us about her first fossil discoveries and why we think these incredible creatures went extinct in the last couple of centuries.  

Dr. Rahanaharivao’s research publications – CLICK HERE

Research paper by Dr. Rahanaharivao and colleagues on the fossil record at Tsimanampetsotsa National Park – CLICK HERE

Video from PBS Eons on the giant lemurs of Madagascar – CLICK HERE

The post S4E6 Writing the History of My Country: Finding Extinct Lemurs first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Forests are complicated places, and the species inhabiting forests are dependent on each other in a complex network that we call ecology. Camille Desisto is an ecologist and graduate student at Duke University, and she studies the interactions between plants and lemurs in Madagascar and at the Duke Lemur Center. Specifically, Camille looks at the lemur role of seed disperser—eating fruit and leaving behind seeds throughout the forest. Camille is interested in the mechanics of seed dispersal and how changes in lemur populations can impact the whole forest community. Learn how she works with conservation organizations, especially the DLC-SAVA Conservation program, to connect her research to conservation practices and policy.  

Camille Desisto’s research website – CLICK HERE

One of Camille’s research studies on lemur-plant ecology in Madagascar – CLICK HERE

Camille in the field with her collaborators (video) – CLICK HERE

The post S4E5 Tromping Around in Madagascar: Seed Dispersal and Lemurs first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

So how smart are lemurs, exactly? How do we even start to figure that out? Meet Ray Vagell, researcher and graduate student from Texas State University who uses SMARTA (a custom-designed touch screen system) to study how lemurs solve problems at the Duke Lemur Center. We also discuss the fun – but mysterious – fact that only female ruffed lemurs have color vision. Ray also uses SMARTA to study ruffed lemur vision, and how his research has become enrichment for some ruffed lemurs who love pushing playing with the device. Sometimes they even find ways to cheat the system! 

Ray’s research website – CLICK HERE

Ruffed lemurs using SMARTA (video) – CLICK HERE

Ray’s published work on the SMARTA system (article) – CLICK HERE

The post S4E4 How We Problem Solve: Ruffed Lemur Cognition first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Dr. Andrea Baden and her team have spent a lot of time in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar learning about the social lives of ruffed lemurs. In this episode, she shares why it takes a village to run a ruffed lemur kindergarten, how art photography led to her career in primatology, and how ruffed lemurs adapted to climate change. Socially, ruffed lemurs are one of the weirdest lemurs out there, and Dr. Baden is the perfect person to explain the method to their social madness.  

Dr. Baden’s Lab Homepage – CLICK HERE

Dr. Baden’s research paper on nesting ruffed lemurs – CLICK HERE

Dr. Baden’s research paper on fission-fusion social dynamics in ruffed lemurs – CLICK HERE

The post S4E3 Lemur Kindergarten: Social Dynamics in Ruffed Lemurs first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

This week, we’re chatting with one of our wonderful colleagues Madison Armand about her role as a primate technician (our version of a zookeeper here at the Duke Lemur Center). Madison shares what it takes to be a fantastic primate technician, why she particularly enjoys working with ruffed lemurs, and how the DLC animal care team stays up-to-date on the science of animal welfare to provide our lemurs with the best possible lives. 

Virtual Tour Episode 3: Housing at the DLC (video) – CLICK HERE

A Day in the Life of a Lemur Keeper (video) – CLICK HERE

Species survival plan discussion (previous podcast episode) – CLICK HERE

Transcript of this episode: CLICK HERE

The post S4E2 I Follow the Lemurs: Ruffed Lemur Husbandry first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

This season we’re leaping into the world of ruffed lemurs – beautiful lemurs with big personalities. In this episode, we discuss the basics of the two species in the Varecia genus – black and white ruffed lemurs and red ruffed lemurs. This is our longest season yet, full of fascinating interviews with ruffed lemur caretakers, researchers, and conservationists, so be sure to subscribe and catch every episode! 

Black and white ruffed lemur fact sheet (webpage) – CLICK HERE

Red ruffed lemur fact sheet (webpage) – CLICK HERE

Virtual Tour Episode 6: Ruffed Lemurs (video) – CLICK HERE

Transcript of this episode – CLICK HERE

The post S4E1 Beautiful Beards: Meet the Ruffed Lemurs first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.