NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Nashville Zoo is introducing Penelope, a less than two-week-old red-ruffed lemur.

She is the first to be born at Nashville Zoo to first-time mom Phoebe, a 7-year-old red-ruffed lemur.

Their species are considered critically endangered in the wild due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, and pet trade. So, each birth is crucial to survival, the zoo said.

  • Red-ruffed lemur
    Penelope and mom, Phoebe red-ruffed lemurs (Courtesy of Nashville Zoo)
  • Red-ruffed lemur
    Penelope red-ruffed lemur (Courtesy of Nashville Zoo)
  • Red-ruffed lemur
    Penelope and mom, Phoebe red-ruffed lemurs (Courtesy of Nashville Zoo)

Penelope becomes the fourth red-ruffed lemur to call Nashville Zoo home. In addition to her mother there’s also two males named Apollo and Emilio.

At this time Penelope will be inside the habitat. Nashville Zoo said they expect she’ll be able to explore the outdoors in a couple of months.

Nashville Zoo participates in the AZA species survival plan for these lemurs to increase in the captive population.

News 2 has partnered with Nashville Zoo to bring you weekly segments of Zoopalooza. You can watch them on News 2 on Good Morning Nashville on Saturday and right here on WKRN.com.