Maki, the lemur stolen from San Francisco Zoo, dies at 22
Maki, a ring-tailed lemur who made headlines when he was stolen from the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens in 2020 and then found and returned, has died at the age of 22
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Maki, a ring-tailed lemur who made headlines when he was stolen from the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens in 2020 and then found and returned, has died at the age of 22, the zoo announced Friday.
Maki died on Thursday after suffering from acute kidney disease and advanced age, the zoo said in a statement. He was among the zoo's oldest lemurs. The median life expectancy of a ring-tailed lemur is around 16 years.
“The fact that Maki survived his ordeal to thrive among his group for more than a year-and-a-half is truly remarkable,” said Tanya M. Peterson, CEO and executive director of San Francisco Zoological Society. “Maki became a symbol of resilience and bravery, becoming a fan favorite. His story increased awareness of endangered lemurs worldwide. We are heartbroken for this loss.”
In October 2020, a thief broke through a locked door leading to the lemur enclosure and took the aged, arthritic animal. A day later, a 5-year-old boy spotted Maki in the parking lot of a church preschool in Daly City, about 5 miles (8.05 kilometers) from the zoo.
Maki scurried to the school playground and took refuge in a miniature play house until authorities managed to coax him into a transport cage and he returned to the zoo.
A suspect was arrested and charged with violating the Endangered Species Act.
Both Maki and the boy, James Trinh, were later honored by Mayor London Breed in a ceremony on World Lemur Day.
Maki was among seven different lemur species sharing the zoo's Lipman Family Lemur Forest. His favorite food was purple grapes — he didn't like green ones, said Lori Komejan, his caretaker.
“He trusted his caretakers like no other lemur and, as the lowest-ranking of his ring-tailed lemur group, he often chose to eat next them rather than his group," the zoo said.
“His personality filled the forest, and he will be forever missed,” Komejan said in the zoo statement.