Written by John Morris, WheelchairTravel.org, December 19, 2024
I recently traveled with my girlfriend to the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina for a tour of the Duke Lemur Center (DLC), an award-winning research center that is home to more than 200 lemurs — the most diverse population of the primates outside of their native Madagascar.
We attended the DLC’s All About Aye-ayes Wild Workshop, which focused on one of the most unique lemur species (aye-ayes). The evening tour was intimate (our group numbered six people total) and provided an opportunity to learn all about aye-ayes and to make treats which research center staff fed to a lucky lemur.
The treats we created were enjoyed by Nirina, who came to the DLC just over one year ago. The 19-year-old lemur was born at Ueno Zoological Garden in Tokyo, Japan before transferring to the San Diego Zoo and most recently the DLC.
While not all tours offered at the DLC are wheelchair accessible, many tours including the year-round General Tour are accessible thanks to paved pathways, accessible routes and a wheelchair-friendly visitors’ center with accessible bathrooms. The DLC asks that disabled visitors reach out in advance of purchasing tickets so that accommodations can be made — the DLC team was very helpful in our case, and we enjoyed a wonderful experience during our “Wild Workshop” and tour. For more information or to plan your visit, check out the DLC’s website for upcoming Lemur Tours and Workshops.