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Rare lemur quadruplets born in Devon

Four small lemur babies huddles together in a wood box. The lemur at the front has its paws out of the box. They have big light blue and green eyes. Shaldon Wildlife Trust

Lemurs are native to Madagascar but these quadruplets were born in Devon

Red-ruffed lemur quadruplets have been born at a wildlife trust in Devon.

The lemurs, which are critically endangered, are only found in the wild in northeast Madagascar.

The birth of the quadruplets is incredibly rare, according to Shaldon Wildlife Trust, who said they were "just so, so cute but so, so special at the same time".

The four babies were born on 4 May to mother Eka and father Nero.

A black and light brown lemur with its tongue sticking out. It is sat on a grey table and has a wooden background behind it. Shaldon Wildlife Trust

The babies are growing quickly

The quadruplets are part of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums breeding programme.

Zak Showell, director of Shaldon Wildlife Trust, said it was: "A huge success and a testament to the hard work that the team do looking after and caring for our animals."

Showell said the babies were moving about a lot and the head keeper had seen one nibbling food.

"They're progressing so so quick in comparison to many other animals," he said.

The babies will stay at the zoo for a number of years and learn from mum and dad how to be a lemur.

They could then be moved to other zoos.

Fun facts about lemurs

A black indri lemur holds a tree bracn and stares striaght at the camera.Cyrielle Beaubois/Getty Images

The indri, pictured here, is the largest living lemur - about the same size as a small child!

  • There are over 100 species of lemur, in all shapes and sizes. The smallest, Madame berthe's mouse lemur, has an average body weight of 30g, and the largest, the indri, weighs about 6-9.5kg.

  • Lemurs have a female-dominant society.

  • They are important for biodiversity because they move seeds around through their fur.

  • They are one of the only primates that have blue eyes, and are the world's oldest living primates.