We’re leaping with excitement to announce Monarto Safari Park visitors can now get within tail’s length of one of Australia’s largest Ring-tailed Lemur troop.

To celebrate World Lemur Day today, Monarto Safari Park launched its brand-new experience, Land of the Lemurs, with tickets now on sale for a 14 November opening date.

Director of Monaro Safari Park, Peter Clark, said a behind-the-scenes experience with this stripy species has been long-awaited.

“Land of the Lemurs has been years in the making, so it is a very significant milestone and we are extremely excited to launch on World Lemur Day,” he said.

“Not only will it be an amazing way for our visitors to get up-close with a new species at Monarto Safari Park, but it is also the first experience to open in our Wild Africa precinct.

“Our Zu-loop bus will not venture past the lemurs, so Land of the Lemurs is your exclusive experience to mingle with the troop.

“Land of the Lemurs is an insight into one of the world’s most endangered primates and gives our visitors a chance to learn more about Zoos SA’s conservation work and what we are doing to help species like the Ring-tailed Lemur in the wild.”

During Land of the Lemurs, visitors will set off on an exhilarating expedition through the 3.5-hectare Ring-tailed Lemur habitat as these stripy primates whip and zip from tree to tree or run between their feet.

Suitable for all ages, and soon to be wheelchair accessible, wild explorers will be led by an expert guide and delight as they hear these bouncy primates purr and see them pounce and play.

Not only will guests get within a tail’s length of the troop, but they will also encounter the Tortoise Research Facility where the Aldabra Giant and Radiated Tortoises lap up life in the slow lane.

Monarto Safari Park’s Land of the Lemurs troop includes 11 adult lemurs and four tiny pups born over the last two months.

Ring-tailed Lemurs inhabit the south-west corner of Madagascar and get their name from their black and white banded tail, which is around 60cm long.

Ring-tailed Lemurs are classified by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as endangered with habitat loss and poaching the biggest threat to the wild population.

Along with the other 20 species of lemur, these primates are one of the world’s most endangered group of primates with 95 per cent of lemur species threatened with extinction.

At Zoos SA we hope to shine a light on this amazing animals, with every entry ticket, animal experience, lemur adoption, or purchase in our shops helping support the conservation of species like the Ring-tailed Lemur in the wild.

For more information or to get your paws on tickets, please visit monartosafari.com.au/landofthelemurs.