Lemur Yoga

TRANSCRIPT
Lemur Yoga

NARRATOR:
Looking after our body and our mind is important, and one place in the UK has found a surprising way to help people do both. At a wildlife park in the Lake District, yoga fans can now take part in outdoor classes with Madagascan ring-tailed lemurs. The idea, called lemoga, combines gentle exercise, nature, and animals — all known to help with physical and mental health.

SOUNDBITE - Richard Robinson:
"Spending time with animals is a well proven fact. It slows us down, it reduces our pace. It's all about wellbeing."

NARRATOR:
Yoga can help people stay flexible, breathe better, and relax. It’s also a natural treatment for stress. And here, the lemurs add something special. Yoga teacher Katherine Beaumont believes animals can help people connect with their own body and mind, as well as the natural world around them.

SOUNDBITE - Katherine Beaumont:
“I think to have them kind of roaming around and being aware of how you're moving and being aware of your own body and being aware of your own connection to them is just beautiful."

NARRATOR:
The sessions also help people learn about wildlife conservation. And the money goes to protect lemurs in the wild.

SOUNDBITE - Richard Robinson: 
"Ring tailed lemurs are an endangered species. It's thought to be fewer than 5000 in the wild. So really low numbers. If we can raise awareness of the plight that they're facing then great. We are also able to work with a charity out in Madagascar itself. So, funds from these sessions go directly to help on the ground working towards lemur conservation."

NARRATOR:
So, could yoga with lemurs improve your health and help save animals at the same time? At this park, the answer seems to be yes.