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 finally 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 our non-harmful research into their unique adaptations could have far-ranging impacts from conservation to deep space travel. Click HERE for a transcript of this episode. For more information on all things Duke Lemur Center, visit our website. 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.

We are wrapping up our sifaka season with Malagasy scientist and conservationist, Mamy Razafitsalama. Mamy’s work in and around Ankarafantsika National Park, which serves as critical habitat for Coquerel’s sifakas in the wild, recently earned him the 2023 Whitley Award for conservation. We were so honored to hear about Mamy’s work studying sifakas in the wild and leading community-based conservation to protect the habitat Coquerel’s sifakas call home.  Links to learn more:  Watch Sir David Attenborough presenting Mamy as the 2023 Whitley Award Winner  Planet Madagascar  Live from Madagascar with Planet Madagascar  The post S3E7 – Keep Doing the Hard Work first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Sifakas are beautifully adapted to their environment. Dr. Elaine Guevara studies the source of these adaptations in the genetic code of sifakas (and other primates). Elaine shares how she traveled a complex path to get to Duke University and primate evolution – including a stop by the bug department. Now she’s a lecturer in Evolutionary Anthropology, a researcher at the Duke Lemur Center, and a molecular primatologist!  Links to learn more:  Profile of Elaine’s research and teaching  Elaine’s research on sifaka leaf-eating  Elaine’s research on the genetics of lemur diets  Elaine’s research on sifaka diversity   The post S3E6 – Analyzing the Genomes first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Why don’t you see sifakas in most zoos across the US? How do we plan which sifaka have babies, and where those babies will live? DLC Animal Curator Britt Keith not only manages the sifakas living at the DLC, but also collaborates to manage captive Coquerel’s sifakas on an international scale, and she’s here to answer all of our sifaka population management questions.  Links to Learn More: Read a DLC Staff Spotlight on Britt  Watch Britt in the sifaka transport feature “To Europe, Two by Two”  Read about Britt in this feature on women in leadership  Read about Britt in the DLC annual magazine    The post S3E5 – Thinking Long-term first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Lemurs can really move. Like jumping-dozens-of-feet-from-tree-to-tree move. Like Tigger on a trampoline move. Dr. Gabe Yapuncich is a researcher at Duke University who is fascinated by this feat of lemur feet. He’s studied lemur bones and watched living lemurs launch off force plates at the Duke Lemur Center to understand how lemurs leap and hold themselves up in a tree, all to sort out the origins of these adaptations in our oldest primate relatives.   Links to learn more:  Gabe’s Research Page  Sifaka hopping on the ground like Tigger    Sifaka leaping through the trees!  3D Scans on MorphoSource  Gabe’s paper on primate ankles      The post S3E4 – Bouncy… Like Tigger first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Ever wondered what a lemur that is adapted to conditions across the world in Madagascar eats in the forests of North Carolina? Dr. Lydia Greene wondered that very same thing, and in this interview, she shares new information, anecdotes, and insights she gained over years of studying Coquerel’s sifaka foraging habits at the Duke Lemur Center.   Links to learn more:  Follow Lydia on Instagram  Read Lydia’s paper on sifaka foraging at the DLC  Watch Lydia’s virtual presentation on the folivorous sifaka  See all of Lydia’s publications   The post S3E3 – The Magic Hour first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Who better to open this season’s interviews than someone who has spent over a decade caring for Coquerel’s sifakas? Melanie Currie has been a primate technician (AKA animal keeper) at the Duke Lemur Center for 13 years, and we’re so excited to share her insights on these amazing animals with you.  Links to learn more:  Watch Melanie in action with Pompeia and Francesca   The post S3E2 – A Lot of Time and Attention first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Welcome to season three of Aye-aye Pod. We’re finally getting to the lemur that everyone falls in love with when they visit the Duke Lemur Center: sifakas! We’ll introduce you to these bouncy leaf-munchers who had a starring role in Zoboomafoo. We’ll also dig into their amazing diversity in Madagascar and explore the northwestern forests that Coquerel’s sifakas call home.   Links to learn more:   Coquerel’s sifaka basics  DLC Coquerel’s sifaka introduction   Coquerel’s sifaka on the move  Baby sifaka tries leaves  The rhythm of Indri song   The post S3E1 – The Dancing Lemur first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

In the final episode of our season on ring-tailed lemurs, Matt and Megan are joined by biological anthropologist, paleontologist, and primatologist Dr. Laurie Godfrey. Laurie’s decades-long career searching for fossils and the causes of extinction has taken her across the entire island of Madagascar. In this interview she takes us on a journey through the history of the ring-tailed lemur’s native habitat in southern Madagascar and introduces us to some of the giant, extinct lemurs that also called the island home. Links to learn more: Press release on all-Indigenous edition of Malagasy Nature Direct link to that edition of Malagasy Nature Laurie’s scientific publications The post S2E5 – So Many Extinct Lemurs first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

If you’ve read Allison Jolly’s quintessential book Lords and Lemurs, or perhaps you’ve watched the Island of the Lemurs IMAX film, then you already know this week’s guest. Matt and Megan had the privilege of interviewing Professor Hantanirina Rasamimanana, or Hanta, as she prefers to be called. In addition to decades of studying ring-tailed lemurs in their natural habitat, Hanta has also been an incredible advocate for education and opportunities for Malagasy students, and we are honored to share a little bit about her work with you. Links to learn more: Hanta’s work at Berenty Reserve Hanta’s research publications Ring-tailed lemurs hunting cicadas in Berenty Reserve (video) The post S2E4 – What We Have to Do first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

What does it take to care for ring-tailed lemurs a world away from their native Madagascar? Lead Primate Technician Danielle Lynch joins us to discuss the complexities of caring for ring-tailed lemurs at the Duke Lemur Center. Links to learn more: Day in the Life of a Lemur Keeper (video) DLC staff prepare for Hurricane Florence Ring-tailed lemur scent-marking and breeding season Ring-tailed lemur social grooming The post S2E3 – A Day in the Life first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

In this episode, Matt and Megan chat with professional researcher, and long-time friend and collaborator of the DLC, Sally Bornbusch, Ph.D. Sally takes us into the fascinating world of microbiomes, and how studying the microorganisms living inside of our beloved ring-tailed lemurs can help us better care for and protect endangered species like them. Links to learn more about topics from this episode: Sally’s current work and recent research “Microbes Matter” article by Sally “Gut Bugs and Poop Soup” – virtual presentation by Sally “Poop Soup” – article on fecal transplant treatment at the DLC The post S2E2 – Poop Science first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

From the strangest lemur to the most recognizable – season 2 of Aye-aye Pod is all about ring-tailed lemurs! We see them in zoos around the world, on our screens in films and tv shows, but how much do we really know about these popular primates? In this episode, Matt and Megan set us up for the rest of the season with the basics of ring-tailed lemur ecology, behavior, evolution, and more. Links to learn more about topics from this episode: Ring-tailed lemur info page IUCN Red List Episode 10 of our Virtual Tour The post S2E1 – The Poster Child first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

And… we’re back! Matt and Megan just couldn’t resist diving back in for one more discussion about our favorite primates, so we thought we’d give you a surprise final episode of our first season – just in time for the holidays! We cover everything from the aye-aye’s recent press for a gross hidden talent, to the surprising creature that shares some of the aye-ayes unique traits, to what the fossil record can (and can’t) tell us about aye-aye evolution. Links to learn more: Aye-aye nose-picking in the news The Epic Journey of Ancient Lemurs (recorded virtual presentation) Propotto and Dr. Gregg Gunnell in the news Virtual Tour videos – Episode 2: “What Is a Lemur?” and “Episode 13: Aye-ayes” The post S1E5 – A Series of Random Accidents first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

As Matt and Megan recorded the first episode of this season (What Is a Lemur?), they fell down a rabbit hole and into the weird and wonderful realm of tarsiers. The several species of tarsiers living today are so fascinating and mysterious that we decided they needed their own moment in the spotlight. In this bonus episode, we’ll tackle all of the important questions. What are tarsiers? Why are they the odd-primates-out when it comes to classification? And most importantly, are they nightmare fuel or cupcake monkeys?  Links to learn more about topics from this episode:  Tarsier photos Tarsier fact sheet Video of a tarsier in action The post S1Bonus – Nightmare Cupcake first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Matt and Megan join two veterinary researchers in Madagascar for a long-distance discussion of aye-ayes at home. Dr. Hoby A. Rasoanaivo, research coordinator for Lemur Love, and Dr. Elodi Rambeloson, research project manager at the Anjajavy reserve, discuss their project to move wild aye-ayes from one forest to another, keeping them safe from the effects of deforestation and climate change. Hoby and Elodi also talk about how the mysterious nocturnal primate earned a dark reputation and how they educate communities in Madagascar about aye-ayes to help this endangered primate survive.  Links to learn more about topics from this episode: Dr. Hoby A. Rasoanaivo’s research Dr. Elodi Rambeloson’s research Where is Anjajavy in Madagascar? Research paper on aye-aye translocation DLC Research in Anjajavy with Hoby and Elodi The post S1E4 – Beautifully Strange first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

At the DLC, there’s so much more to animal care than feeding lemurs and cleaning habitats. In this episode, Curator of Behavioral Management and Welfare Meg Dye and Primate Technician Jenna Browning join Matt and Megan to chat about one of our favorite 2022 babies, Binx! Through the story of Binx and his family, we’ll discuss the incredible work that goes into keeping the DLC’s aye-ayes happy and healthy through every stage of life.   Links to learn more about topics from this episode:  The Value of Enrichment  Positive Reinforcement Training at the DLC  Learning from a Loss: The Story of Winifred Video of Winifred Leaving the Nest Meet Binx! The post S1E3 A Happy Aye-aye first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

Guest Dr. Adam Hartstone-Rose from North Carolina State University joins Matt and Megan to discuss the amazing anatomy of our favorite lemur (and podcast mascot): the aye-aye! A big fan of bizarre primates, Dr. Hartstone-Rose discusses his research journey to the DLC, how he uses living, dead, and really dead (AKA fossil) specimens to answer big questions in primate anatomy, and how he discovered the aye-aye’s extra thumb! Note: this episode was recorded in May 2022. Links to learn more about topics from this episode:  Meet the aye-aye The Aye-Aye’s Secret Sixth Finger: the Discovery of a Pseudothumb (video) News article on the pseudothumb Scientific article on the pseudothumb Aye-ayes eating eggs (video)   The post S1E2 Always the Exception first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

On our way to the land of what makes aye-ayes incredible and unique, we must first journey through the territory what makes all lemurs incredible and unique in their own right. Join Education Programs Manager Megan McGrath and DLC Museum of Natural History Curator Matt Borths, Ph.D., as we take a crash course through all of the layers of what it means to be a lemur. Links to learn more about topics from this episode: DLC Museum of Natural History Claws vs. Nails Forward-Facing Eyes DLC Madagascar Conservation Programs   The post S1E1 What Is a Lemur? first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.

For our introductory episode, we thought we’d start with the basics – What is the Duke Lemur Center? Who are your hosts? And why are they starting a podcast? Join Education Programs Manager Megan McGrath and DLC Museum of Natural History Curator Matt Borths, Ph.D. for this introduction to our new podcast covering all things lemur: science, research, conservation, husbandry, Madagascar, and more! Each mini-season will be focused on a particular subject, and weekly episodes will include discussions and interviews with experts to learn as much as we can about these amazing primates together. Our first season, coming in late 2022, will focus on the podcast’s namesake, and your hosts’ favorite primate species, the aye-aye! To learn more about the Duke Lemur Center, check out the links below: Follow us on social media! Take a virtual tour! Read the history and mission of the DLC! Learn about our research program! Support us!   The post S0E0 Welcome to Aye-aye Pod first appeared on Duke Lemur Center.