By: Rachel Stewart
The lemur Jovian, who was the star of the PBS children’s show Zoboomafoo, died on December 3.
He was 20 years old, and housed at the Duke Lemur Center, who announced his death on their website, Duke Today. In a statement, they said he died from kidney failure. He played the fun-loving lemur named Zoboomafoo on the much-loved children’s show of the same name that aired on PBS from 1999 to 2001. The center also reported that he left behind seven children, four grandchildren, and two more on the way.
This show was hosted by two brothers, Martin and Chris Kratt, who taught children the wonders of nature and wildlife. Martin Kratt was deeply saddened by the loss, and said, “[Jovian] was great to work with. He’d jump in through the window and we’d feed him mangoes or garbanzo beans. Sometimes he’d grab our noses with those soft sifaka hands.”
Many viewers are unsettled by the loss as well, but they still remember what he did while he was here. Andrea Starkey, mother of junior Anna Starkey, said that he “was successful in making the animal world fun for young children.”
To see the lemur in action, watch the theme song to the show Zoboomafoo:
