Even from school biology lessons, we remember how diverse the fauna of our planet is. The fauna of Madagascar stands out against the general background. The nature of this island has formed an independent zoogeographic region, which is home to a huge number of insects, reptiles and mammals. Moreover, more than half of all animals found here cannot be seen in any other corner of the Earth. After reading this article, you will learn about the most interesting inhabitants of Madagascar - pygmy lemurs.
Short description
Representatives of this family have retained many primitive features, so they can be used as the best living models of ancient primates. This group of animals also includes the smallest lemur, first discovered in the 90s of the last century. Its weight does not exceed 30 grams, which is not much more than the weight of an ordinary house mouse.
Dwarf lemurs, with an elongated body length of only 20 centimeters (half of which falls on the tail), are covered with short thick hair. They have a white belly and a brown, gray or brown-red back. The short-faced head of the animal is decorated with bare webbed ears and large eyes, around which black rings are located.
Lifestyle
Interestingly, pygmy lemurs live in pairs or alone. During the day, they sleep curled up in a ball, in tree hollows or in nests. With the onset of night, hunger forces them to leave their shelters and go in search of food. In the rainy season, when there is enough food for them, these babies try to accumulate more body fat, accumulating in various parts of the body, including the tail. With the onset of the dry period, the mouse lemur hibernates.
It should be noted that these miniature animals are considered hardworking builders. They construct their own spherical nests by climbing to the top of the trees. All sorts of twigs and leaves are used as building materials.
Up to fifteen lemurs can gather in one nest at the same time, and most of them are females. Males can hardly stand each other's company and are constantly in conflict with each other.
Reproduction and nutrition
Dwarf lemurs are developing at a rapid pace. Individuals that have reached one year of age are considered sexually mature. Almost all representatives of this species give birth to two to four blind babies. The duration of pregnancy is about two or three months. The mass of newborn cubs does not exceed five grams. Already on the second day, their eyes begin to open. Fifteen-day-old babies are already able to climb trees. The mouse lemur becomes completely independent after it turns two months old.
Captivity
Many people who visit the island of lemurs have these miniature animals at home. To keep in captivity, you need to purchase any cage that is suitable in size, in which there must be tree branches. It is desirable that the back of the house is deaf, so that the animal feels more secure. It is recommended to line a box intended for animal rest with dried hay or natural cotton wool.
When choosing a place where a cage with a pet will be located, it must be taken into account that pygmy lemurs are afraid of drafts and catch cold easily. It is interesting that the animals living in captivity do not monitor the cleanliness of their house, so you will have to deal with this issue. In order to avoid the appearance of an unpleasant odor, it is necessary to carry out light cleaning in his cage daily. At least once a month, it is recommended to wipe the floor of the house with a damp cloth and renew the layer of sawdust.
It is desirable that the cage has a shelter in which the animal can hide from daylight and prying eyes. For these purposes, you can use a fur envelope that looks like a nest.
What to feed lemurs at home?
Food must be poured into a deep metal bowl, suspended on the bars of the cage. It is better to feed the animals in the evening, but you can teach them to eat during the day. If the animal refuses to eat, do not force him. As a rule, the lemur wakes up at eight o'clock in the evening. It was at this time andneed to time the meal.
Some species of animals eat animal food. It is recommended to give boiled meat to such pets. But they can also independently catch insects flying around the apartment. Baby puree can also be used as food.
It is important to ensure that the animal does not overeat. He needs to periodically arrange fasting days. The diet of the animal must include vegetables, carrots, almonds, salads, grapes, dates and figs.
Those who plan to feed their lemur with commercial food should add vitamins, grasshoppers, crickets, cockroaches, mealybugs, boiled rice, bread, dried fruits and nuts to it. Sometimes they can be treated to dairy-free baby cereals.
How do these animals communicate?
Lemurs emit a fairly wide range of sounds, the frequency of which is about 10-36 kHz. Scientists who analyzed the vocalization features of pygmy lemurs revealed a lot of interesting things. So, by the cry of animals, each individual can be identified. Studies have shown that neighboring communities of lemurs communicate in different dialects.
During the breeding season, males emit characteristic vibrating sounds, consisting of musical phrases. They are very reminiscent of birdsong. The frequency of their repetition depends on the degree of interest of the females and on the motivation of the male himself.
Conservation in nature
If we want to save the animal world, then we must protect all its representatives. The density of the population of dwarf lemurs living in natural conditions is quite high. ToFortunately, the widespread species of these animals are not threatened with extinction. But there are also rarer members of this family, including hairy-eared lemurs, which are on the verge of extinction.
