Blue-eyed black lemur 'Brady' born in Durham

Durham welcomed Brady -- a critically endangered, blue-eyed black lemur to the Duke Lemur Center just over a month ago.

He was named after the dark-haired, light-eyed Tom Brady from the New England Patriots. Brady, the lemur, is still young and clings tight to his mother Leigh, a release from the center said.

In his first couple weeks of life, he rode under Leigh's belly like he was tucked into a fanny pack, the center said. Now, Brady rides on his mother's side.

"He's also begun testing his legs," said Brady's caretaker, Brittany Canfield.

Anytime Leigh is stationary, Canfield said Brady is reaching for leaves and bouncing off her back.

Leigh is 3 years old and a first-time mother. She was attacked and rejected by her mother when she was 5 weeks old.

“Despite having had a rough start herself, Leigh has been an incredible mother,” said Canfield. “She is protective of Brady but she’s also gentle, nurturing, and patient."

Fewer than 1,000 black-eyed lemurs are believed to be in the Madagascar today. In 2015, experts thought that the species would go extinct in as little as soon as 11 years, according to the Duke Lemur Center.