Tokyo's Ueno Zoo on Thursday showed off to the public for the first time a pair of endangered Aye-aye lemurs, imported from Madagascar, zoo officials said.
The pair, an 8-year-old male named Mamy/2 and a female named Soafiavy, about 3 years old, arrived from the east African island nation in September as part of a joint breeding project with Tsimbazaza Zoo in Madagascar's capital city Antananarivo, they said.
The nocturnal primates each weigh about 3 kg and are about 40 cm in length, with the tail included.
A pair of bamboo lemurs, which are native to Madagascar, arrived with the Aye-aye lemurs and were also shown to the public.
Two pairs of Madagascar crested ibises arrived at Ueno Zoo In July as another part of a breeding program with Tsimbazaza Zoo.
During Thursday's ceremony to mark the arrival of the lemurs, a group of elementary school students from Taito Ward, Tokyo, sang the Japanese children's song, "Aye-aye." Special quarters have been set up in the western section of the zoo for the endangered animals.
