Guests at the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo may have noticed a new addition in the last couple months. On May 5, 2015, the zoo’s resident lemurs, mom, Hedy, and dad, Moili, welcomed a beautiful baby red ruffed lemur to their family. In 2012, the pair had their first baby, Lando, and since had two more energetic sons—Jacob in 2013 and Tupelo in 2014. Zookeepers in the Zoo Animal Technology Program at SF were elated to find Hedy’s new little one in the nest she constructed for it and have recently observed the baby becoming more curious and independent.
Zoo staff sent out a call to employees and students at Santa Fe College to help name the adorable new lemur. After carefully reviewing all of the submissions, they are happy to announce that baby lemur’s name is Aspen—a perfect homage to the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence awarded to Santa Fe College in March. The winning name was submitted by Tom Mason, Advisement Specialist in SF’s Construction and Technical Programs.
Visitors may come to the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, open every day from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. to visit with the whole lemur family. Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for children, seniors, and UF students. Admission is free for children age three and under and SF staff and students.
