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Cleese happier to be a Lemur than a Knight

24/07/2008 22:42:08 July 2008. John Cleese is much happier to have a species of lemur named after him than to receive a knighthood. The former Python star turned down a CBE in 1996, and now insists that it is much more of an honour that a variety of woolly lemur was named Avahi Cleesei in 2005.

John Cleese said: "A Swiss guy asked for permission to name it after me. I would rather have that than a knighthood or a peerage."

Cleese has been a longtime lover of lemurs since his youth and has worked tirelessly to protect the species - which is regarded as amongst the most endangered primates in the world.

Discovered in 1990
The Avahi Cleesei was discovered by Urs Thalmann, part of a team from Zurich University, in 1990. Cleese championed the plight of the lemur in his comedy film 'Fierce Creatures' and also made a documentary called 'Operation Lemur with John Cleese'.

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