Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemur
The fat-tailed dwarf lemur stores fat in its tail as an aid in surviving the Madagascar winter. Click image for larger version.
The species of dwarf lemur found at the DLC, Cheirogaleus medius, is native to the dry deciduous forests common in western and southern Madagascar. These small lemurs can live in primary forests, established secondary forests as well as the gallery forest of the southern spiny desert. Typically solitary foragers, the dwarf lemurs have a diverse diet consisting mostly of fruit and flower nectar. While they are thought to be less carnivorous than mouse lemurs, they too eat insects and small vertebrates. Dwarf lemurs may be responsible for pollinating some species of baobab trees. In addition, they play an important role in the ecology of the tropical forest by aiding in the dispersal of small seeds. As a part of their normal scent marking routine, dwarf lemurs often smear feces onto branches as they walk along well-traveled arboreal pathways through the forest, thereby providing a perfect microclimate for the germination of parasitic plants common in the forest.