Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemur
Overview
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...
Feeding
The western dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus medius, can increase its body weight by 75g (about 40%) at a time. It effectively gorges during times of food abundance, to prepare for Madagascar’s dry season when its diet of fruits and flowers is scarce. In the winter months, most dwarf lemurs enter a state of torpor. While mouse...
Fact Sheet
Order: Primates; Suborder: Prosimii Family: Cheirogaleidae; Genus: Cheirogaleus Species: medius Related Species There are two species of dwarf lemurs: the greater dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus major) and the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius). Key Facts Adult Size : 0.4 – 0.6 pounds Social life : Solitary forager, strictly nocturnal, sleeps in groups of up to 5...
Reproduction
The strong seasonality of breeding found in mouse and dwarf lemurs depends upon a variable “photoperiod,” or day length. Dwarf and Mouse lemurs breed at the DLC from mid-April through July. Gestation is 58-62 days. Both species commonly have litters of two or more offspring. All captive dwarf lemurs are provided with a wide variety...
Social Behavior
Dwarf lemurs forage in solitude at night. During the day they congregate, in packs of up to five to a tree hole, while they sleep. The composition of these sleeping groups changes seasonally, and often animals do choose to sleep alone. Sleeping sites generally consist of hollow trees, whose cavities have been cushioned with leaves....
Habitat/Conservation
The east and west coasts of Madagascar provide very two different forest habitats for four similar subspecies of dwarf and mouse lemurs. Cheirogaleus medius (the fat-tailed dwarf lemur) and Microcebus murinus (the gray mouse lemur) occupy the west, while Microcebus rufus (brown mouse lemur) and Cheirogaleus major (greater dwarf lemur) live in the east. These...
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