Eleven Views of the Smithsonian National Zoo #2

When you enter the zoo before it's officially open, it's a pretty deserted place. Some people who live in the neighborhood jog or walk through as part of their exercise routine. A lot of the animals are still in their enclosures, too. Fortunately for me a quartet of Ring-tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta) and a lone Black & White Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata) were out and about on Lemur Island. The quartet were perched high up in the tallest climbing tree checking the new day out and particularly captivated by the distant sound of persisant howling that I believe was coming for a Howler Monkey quite a ways away in another part of the zoo. The Black & White Ruffed Lemur was eating his breakfast on one of two raised platforms and making his own low lamenting vocalizations. I think my favorite picture is actually the one where all the ring-tails are looking away!