National Zoo Lemur With Stuffed Animal Friend Gives Us The Warm-And-Fuzzies (PHOTO)

This Will Give You A Case Of The Warm-And-Fuzzies

This Friday's dose of the warm-and-fuzzies comes to you courtesy of the National Zoo.

In a photo posted recently to the Reddit subgroup r/aww, what appears to be one of the Washington, D.C., zoo's red-ruffed lemurs spends some (adorable) quality time with an unidentified plush friend.

Although it is unclear from the posting exactly when the photo was taken, the National Zoo notes on its website that stuffed animals can be used as a form of "enrichment" to help a lemur that is depressed, perhaps due to the loss of a mate. A plush lemur can provide a comforting stand-in that can be groomed and even slept with, according to the zoo.

Native to the Masoala Peninsula of northeastern Madagascar, the red-ruffed lemur is classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. The mammal prefers the high forest and is susceptible to human encroachment and habitat loss.


(Image via Trust_The_Duck)

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Zoo Babies 2012

Zoo Babies 2012

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