Baby lemur at Zoo Atlanta dies days after birth

ATLANTA — Zoo Atlanta shared heartbreaking news Thursday after the death of a recently born baby crowned lemur, an endangered species.

The baby was born Monday to his mother, 10-year-old Sava.

“We are heartbroken,” the zoo said after announcing the death in a Facebook post.

According to a press release, lemurs are endangered and are native to the northernmost tip of Madagascar, home to more than 100 species of animals.

The zoo added in its Facebook post that infant mortality is common among both wild and human-supervised lemur species. They said newborn lemurs are fragile, especially in the first days of their lives.

“We are saddened that we will not have the opportunity to watch this baby grow up with you, and we are further devastated to lose a new member of an endangered species,” officials added in the message. “Our hearts go out to our Primate team, whose dedication and hard work make the loss of this new addition even more difficult.”

Crowned lemurs are endangered due to habitat loss and fragmentation. The exploitation of gold and sapphire as well as the production of charcoal contribute to their disappearance.

They are also captured for the pet trade, but because they are primates, they do not make the best pets.