Mouse Lemurs - Tiny Endangered Primates of Madagascar

Mouse lemurs are tiny primates that are native to Madagascar. They have a maximum head and body length of 5.5 inches and a total length (including the tail) of less than 11 inches. The smallest species is the Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur, which is also believed to be the smallest primate in the world. This minute lemur has an average body length of 3.6 inches (not including the tail) and an average weight of only 1.1 ounces. In contrast, the indri, which also lives in Madagascar and is considered to be the largest lemur, may be almost three feet long not including its tail, and weigh up to twenty two pounds.

Mouse lemurs are primates, like other lemurs, monkeys, gibbons, apes and humans. Although lemurs are considered to be the most primitive primates they are still fascinating animals. Their name comes from the Latin word "lemures", which means "ghost". The name was probably chosen because many lemurs are active in the dark and their large, reflective eyes often look eerie in the faint nighttime illumination.

The mouse lemurs are nocturnal and spend the day sleeping in tree hollows or in nests made of leaves. Like many animals that are active at night they have huge eyes, which face forward. These enlarged eyes help them to see as they search for food in dim light. The eyes have a light-reflecting layer called the tapetum lucidum behind the retina, which aids night vision. Mouse lemurs also have long tails, short limbs and bare fingers and toes that aren’t covered by fur. They are arboreal animals, spending most of their lives in the trees.

Unfortunately, many species of mouse lemurs are endangered because of habitat destruction in their native forests. In addition, they are captured illegally to become exotic pets, since many people find their tiny size and big eyes very appealing.

Mouse lemurs belong to the genus Microcebus. The number of species is uncertain and is increasing as more animals are discovered and studied.

The Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae) is named after Madame Berthe Rakotosamimanana, who was a Madagascan conservationist. This little creature has reddish brown fur, and like all mouse lemurs it has a vertical white stripe between its eyes.

The Berthe's mouse lemur lives in lowland deciduous forests and moves with ease through the tree canopy. It generally forages alone. Like other mouse lemurs it's an omnivorous feeder and eats fruits, insects, geckoes and chameleons, but its main food source is the honeydew produced by insects called planthoppers. Planthoppers live in large colonies and produce a lot of honeydew. The insects feed on plant sap, and then release a sweet liquid - the honeydew - from their anus. The drops of liquid fall on to plant leaves and stems. The mouse lemurs then lick up the honeydew.

In the cooler and drier winter season (which extends from April or May to September or October) the Berthe's mouse lemur spends part of each day resting in a safe place with a lowered temperature and a decreased metabolic rate, a condition known as torpor. In this state the animal uses less water and conserves energy.

The Madame Berthe's mouse lemur is restricted to an area in the south western part of Madagascar and is endangered due to habitat loss. The population is fragmented and is decreasing in size.

The pygmy mouse lemur (Microcebus myoxinus) is considered by most researchers to be the second smallest mouse lemur, although it's sometimes described as the smallest primate. The pygmy mouse lemur 's fur is red brown like that of the Madame Berthe's mouse lemur. Different species of mouse lemurs look very similar to each other, but careful observations and genetic tests have shown that there are important differences between the species. Not much is known about the biology of the pygmy mouse lemur, but it seems to prefer sleeping alone, in leaf nests and among tangled vines instead of in tree holes.

The grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus) is the largest member of its group - although it’s still a very small primate - and unlike the Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur, it’s not endangered. In fact, its population is classified in the “Least Concern” category by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). It has grey or brownish-grey fur. At one time all mouse lemurs were thought to be different forms of the grey mouse lemur.

Like its relatives, the grey mouse lemur is fast and agile as it explores the tree canopy. It searches for food on its own, but shares a hole in a tree with other mouse lemurs during the day. It eats mainly insects, fruits, flowers, leaves and nectar, but will also eat small reptiles, gum from injured trees and honeydew.

Before the dry winter season begins fat collects in the lemur’s tail and hind legs to help keep it alive during its winter torpor. The torpor may last for a few hours each day, but in some colder locations grey mouse lemurs have been found to stay in their state of torpor for several days or even throughout the winter.

The lemur lives mainly in the western and southern parts of Madagascar and has a much wider distribution than the Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur. It’s estimated that a quarter of the population is killed by predators every year, but the grey mouse lemur is able to replace its population loss. It's an adaptable animal and seems to have a resilience that many other mouse lemur species lack. Some people worry that since its habitat is being destroyed in certain areas its numbers may eventually start to decline, however.

Mouse lemurs make a variety of vocalizations, including whistles, trills, chirps and squeaks. Researchers have discovered that the grey mouse lemur also makes ultrasonic sounds. Sounds are emitted to coordinate the behavior of a group, to advertise reproductive state or the presence of a predator and to attract mates. The lemurs also release fluids that contain scents in order to mark areas and as a form of communication. These fluids include urine, feces, saliva and fluid from the reproductive tract.

The evidence obtained so far indicates that mouse lemurs have multiple reproductive partners, and that a female is only receptive to males for a few hours on a particular day in her cycle. She mates with several males during this short time period. The female often rebuffs the first advances of a male before she will let him mate with her.

The gestation period is around two to two and a half months. The grey mouse lemur typically has twins. At around three weeks of age the babies leave the nest for the first time. If they need to be moved away from the nest area, the mother carries the youngsters around with her mouth instead of letting them ride on her back. The babies are weaned at about six weeks of age and are ready to live independently when they are about two months old.

In captivity mouse lemurs have lived for fifteen years, but the lifespan is probably much shorter in the wild. The animals are eaten by many other creatures, including owls, snakes, mongooses and civets.

Madagascar is a small island nation that is dwarfed by the neighboring continent of Africa. Despite its relatively small size - about twice the area of Arizona - Madagascar has a huge variety of wildlife. Many animals that live there, including mouse lemurs, are found nowhere else on Earth. A difficult but very important task is to balance the needs of the Madagascan people with the needs of the local wildlife so that the amazing biodiversity of the island is maintained.

Many mouse lemur species are threatened by logging, slash and burn agriculture, farming and mining. The lemur's habitat is sometimes destroyed or damaged. Populations may become isolated in fragmented sections of their habitat, inhibiting efficient mating and mixing of genes. Predators are a natural part of any ecosystem, but in Madagascar domestic dogs and cats are additional predators.

Conservation organizations are trying to protect mouse lemurs and other wildlife in Madagascar, and the lemurs are protected in Madagascar's national parks. Hopefully the efforts of conservationists will succeed before Earth loses the fascinating wild creatures that exist in Madagascar today.