Lavasoa dwarf lemur facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lavasoa dwarf lemur |
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The Lavasoa dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus lavasoensis) is a tiny lemur that lives in Madagascar. It is a nocturnal animal, meaning it is active at night. This special lemur is found only in three small, separate forest areas. These forests are on the southern slopes of the Lavasoa Mountains in southern Madagascar.
Scientists believe there are fewer than 50 of these lemurs left. Their home is a mix of different forest types. It includes dry spiny bush, humid coastal forest, and humid forest. The Lavasoa dwarf lemur was first found in 2001. For a while, people thought it was a type of furry-eared dwarf lemur. But in 2013, it was officially named as its own unique species. It is one of six known species of dwarf lemur. However, new research suggests there might be even more dwarf lemur species waiting to be discovered!
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How Scientists Found This Lemur
The Lavasoa dwarf lemur belongs to a group called Cheirogaleus, which are all dwarf lemurs. They are part of the Cheirogaleidae family.
Between 2001 and 2006, researchers carefully caught 10 adult lemurs. They also found six younger ones. The scientists measured them and took tiny ear tissue samples. Then, they safely released the lemurs back into their homes. The first adult male lemur studied was caught in 2001.
In 2013, scientists Dana Thiele, Andreas Hapke, and Emilienne Razafimahatratra published their findings. They worked at Johannes Gutenberg University and the University of Antananarivo.
For many years, people only knew about two dwarf lemur species. But in 2000, a scientist named Colin Groves suggested there were seven. He looked closely at museum samples. Later, in 2009 and 2011, two of these new species were removed from the list.
The Lavasoa dwarf lemur became the sixth known species in 2013. It was named after the Lavasoa Mountains where it lives. Scientists used DNA from the lemurs to show it was different from the furry-eared dwarf lemur. This important discovery was made by German and Malagasy researchers. Their work also hinted at three more new dwarf lemur species. These were named after the areas where they were found. The Lavasoa dwarf lemur is most closely related to one of these, called C. sp. Ranomafana/Andrambovato. Scientists think there could be even more dwarf lemurs to find. This is because they live in many different places and have a lot of genetic differences.
What the Lavasoa Dwarf Lemur Looks Like
The Lavasoa dwarf lemur is a small animal. It weighs about 0.3 kg (0.66 lb), which is less than a pound. It measures about 50–55 cm (20–22 in) long, including its tail.
Its eyes have black fur around them, forming a small ring. This black fur goes from its eyes to its pointed nose. The rest of its head has reddish-brown fur. There is a lighter strip of fur between its eyes. The fur on its back is reddish-brown near its neck. It then turns gray-brown towards its rear end. The lemur's belly is a creamy color. Its hands and feet are usually gray-brown, but some lemurs have reddish-brown ones. All its hairs have gray bases, giving it a unique look.
You can tell the Lavasoa dwarf lemur apart from the furry-eared dwarf lemur. The Lavasoa lemur has wider ears and a smaller head. It also has a shorter tail than its closest relative, Cheirogaleus sp. Ranomafana Andrambovato. The colors of these three species are very similar. However, the Lavasoa dwarf lemur's colors are different from its neighbors. These include the greater dwarf lemur and the fat-tailed dwarf lemur.
Lavasoa Dwarf Lemur Behavior
Like other dwarf lemurs, the Lavasoa dwarf lemur is nocturnal. This means it is active at night. It is also arboreal, which means it lives in trees. They spend their time high up in the forest canopy.
During the dry winter, these lemurs hibernate for several months. This means they go into a deep sleep to save energy. Not much is known about their behavior. This is because they are mostly active during the rainy season. At that time, it is very hard for scientists to reach them in the forests.
Where They Live and Their Home
The Lavasoa dwarf lemur lives only on the southern slopes of the Lavasoa Mountains. This area is in the Anosy Region of Madagascar. They are found in only three small, broken-up forest areas. These are called Grand Lavasoa, Petit Lavasoa, and Ambatotsirongorongo. Their home is a mix of different forest types. It includes dry spiny bush, humid coastal forest, and humid forest. Even though it has some plants from drier areas, their home mostly looks like a humid forest.
Protecting the Lavasoa Dwarf Lemur
The three small forests where the Lavasoa dwarf lemur lives used to be part of a much bigger forest. Old photos from 1957 show this larger forest. Luckily, these remaining forest pieces are now part of a new protected area. This area is around Ambatotsirongorongo. It is part of Madagascar's national protected areas system.
Scientists believe there are only about 50, or even fewer, Lavasoa dwarf lemurs living in this protected area. Protecting their small forest homes is very important for their survival.
See also
In Spanish: Lemur enano de Lavasoa para niños
