It has been awhile since visitors at the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo have been able to view ring-tailed lemurs, but those animals will be moving into an exhibit area this week and ready for public viewing later this month.
Zoo Curator and Supervisor Sara Hamlin said a small section of the zoo will be closed while the lemurs adjust to their new house and exhibit. Members of the Great Bend Zoological Society will get the first opportunity to view them at a members-only event from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, at the zoo. Refreshments will be served and memberships will be available for purchase that night.
Ring-tailed lemurs are primates found in the southern part of the African island Madagascar. According to National Geographic, ring-tailed lemurs in the wild are endangered, largely because the sparse, dry forests they love are quickly vanishing. They are a familiar and popular site at many zoos.

Get involved
Zoo Society Board President Karen Neuforth said the group is also planning its annual meeting, which will start at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15. Anyone who isn’t a member can sign up at the meeting, or any time the zoo’s main building, the Raptor Center, is open.
The Zoo Society supports the zoo and provides an opportunity for the public to take a more active role in making the zoo a better place. The meeting will include a report from the Zoo Society president and a recap of the year’s events from Hamlin, door prizes and refreshments, and the election of six new board members.
Board members are expected to serve for two years, attend monthly meetings and participate in zoo fundraisers and members-only events.
For more information call Hamlin at the zoo, 793-4226, or contact any current board member. Directors include Neuforth, Sarah Shirer, John Cross, Karen Henneke, Wayne Henneke, Daniel Leech and Leroy Weathers.

Wild night
In September the Zoo Society hosted Wine in the Wild for the second year, allowing guests to see the animals in the evening while enjoying local wine and Kansas craft beers, live music and hors d’oeuvres, as well as a silent auction.
“Wine in the Wild was a great success,” Neuforth said. “We had over 150 people attend.”

Zoo Boo
This year’s Zoo Boo will take place from 5:30-8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, at the zoo.