Galago moholi
Bush babies aren’t lemurs, but they share a common ancestor and are closely related. Lemurs and bush babies belong to a group called the strepsirrhine primates, which also includes lorises and pottos. The word “strepsirrhine” reflects the shape of the animals’ noses: The etymology comes from the Greek words strepsis (“turning round”) and rhinos (“nose”). Sometimes, strepsirrhines are called the wet-nosed primates, reflecting the moist rhinarium on the tips of their noses (the better to smell you with, my dear!).
Bush babies, or galagos, are small, nocturnal primates that range in size from cat-sized to mouse-sized. They are found in the forests and woodlands of Africa south of the Sahara. In some of these areas—i.e. the range of the lesser bush baby, Galago moholi—nighttime winter temperatures can drop to as low as 22-degrees Fahrenheit! In Africa, up to four species of bush baby may occupy the same area of forest, feeding on a combination of insects, fruit, and tree gum. Each species, however, utilizes a different layer of the forest or specializes on a particular food, so that they don’t compete with each other or with the monkeys which make up the “day shift.”
The animal’s loud vocalizations, from which the term “bush baby” is derived, have proven to be the means by which the many different species have been identified. Only a decade ago, less than half a dozen species of bush baby were known, but currently over 20 species are recognized, and some experts feel that there may be as many as 40.
Weighing five to seven ounces, the lesser bush baby’s coat is gray with yellow-tinged underparts. Their fur is dense, wooly, longish, and slightly wavy. Their large ears are crossed by four transverse ridges and can be independently and simultaneously bent back and forth and wrinkled downward from the tips at will. This furling and unfurling of the ears is occurring constantly when the animals are investigating something, and produce a very lovable, quizzical expression in the animals.
Some bush babies, including the lesser bush baby, are vertical clingers and leapers, springing up to 15 feet in a single bound as they travel through the forest from vertical support to vertical support. Ground travel in this species is accomplished like the sifaka, by a series of kangaroo-like bipedal hops. Other species of bush babies, such as the much larger thick-tailed bush baby, although certainly capable of leaping, seem to prefer to run on all fours along the tops of branches.
Quick facts
Adult size: 5 to 7 ounces (142-198 grams). Body length is approximately 6 inches, with a 9-inch-long tail. Males are slightly larger than females.
Social structure: Lesser bush babies sleep in groups of 2 to 7 individuals but forage for food on their own. Females maintain a territory that they then share with their female offspring. Male offspring leave their mother when they reach full maturity.
Habitat: Deciduous forest and savanna habitats in southern Africa, ranging from Namibia and Angola to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, and the Republic of South Africa
Diet: Lesser bush babies are small, nocturnal insectivores. Their diet consists of insects and tree exudates (saps and gums) and all of their water needs come from their food.
Sexual maturity: One year
Mating: Two mating seasons annually
Gestation: Average 125 days
Number of young: 1-2 offspring. Their first pregnancies tend to produce singletons and subsequent pregnancies tend to produce twins.
IUCN Status: Least concern
DLC Naming theme: African trees (Baobab, Flamethorn, Coconut Palm, River Bean, etc.)
