Sir Richard Branson’s plans to import two dozen ring-tailed lemurs to Mosquito Island have been delayed because some of the animals are pregnant, officials said.
Joanna Morris, personal assistant for the Mosquito Island development, said yesterday that plans to import the threatened animals are still on, though it’s unclear when they might arrive.
Dr. Michael Montrose, the government’s chief veterinary officer, explained last Thursday that the importation of the endangered primates to Mosquito Island will have to wait until all of the lemurs are vaccinated against yellow fever, which can’t happen until they give birth. Because the females are the “guiding force” behind lemur herds, the males can’t travel without them, he said.
“That’s just how it is with lemurs. With most species. Can you imagine a bunch of males in one place without any females? It’d be chaos,” Dr. Montrose said.
Though a provisional import permit has been issued, the Veterinary Division won’t sign off on the final permission until the animals have been declared free of diseases such as yellow fever and the herpes virus, which can be transmitted to humans through bites, Dr. Montrose added.
See the April 28, 2011 edition for full coverage.