Caught on camera: Baby lemurs

Thursday, March 27, 2014, 4:46 PM -

Beijing Wildlife Park recently welcomed three new baby lemurs.

Born in early March, the healthy young primates are carried by their mothers around the clock.

Caretakers say they will become independent at the sixth month when they are fully weaned.

Ring-tailed lemurs, found only on the African island of Madagascar and its neighbouring islands, are unmistakable because of their long, vividly striped, black-and-white tails.

Their lifespan can reach up to 20 years.

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In 2008, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), added lemurs to its list of "threatened" species.

Because of this, many lemurs live in protected habitats, and hunting of the species is strictly forbidden.