Rabbit mystery in Lemur tribe

Tuesday 01 April 2014

Durrell keepers are baffled by the behaviour of an unusual-looking rabbit that appears to have been adopted by their tribe of ruffed lemurs.

The black and white rabbit – which has eluded capture by keepers – appears to have set up in relatively peaceful co-existence with the group.

It has assumed a pack status within the usually strict hierarchy of the endangered Madagascan black and white ruffed lemurs, and first came to keepers’ attention when it was spotted by a member of the public being groomed by one of the older females, and since then it has been seen trying to teach younger members of the group to dig.

They say that the fact that the newcomer doesn’t have the markings of a normal wild rabbit, and the fact that it has appeared at the start of Spring, may have confused the lemurs into thinking it was one of their own.

Durrell communications officer Rick Jones said: “The keepers have been working with lemurs for years, but they say that they’ve never seen anything like this before. The rabbit is even sharing their food – it seems to thinks it’s a primate.”

The rabbit – nicknamed Petra by baffled staff – appears to have passed on one lesson to the lemurs, by teaching them all to stamp their feet when the keepers approach.

Picture credit: Rick Jones