Hairy-eared dwarf lemur

Büschelohrmaki ( Allocebus trichotis )

The Büschelohrmaki or Büschelohrige Lemur ( Allocebus trichotis ) is a primate of the family of lemurs within the lemurs.

Description

Büschelohrmakis reach a body length 12-16 centimeters and additionally there is a 14 to 20 centimeters long tail. My weight is 65 to 90 grams. Their fur is whitish gray on the top and brown on the bottom. Named giving feature are the tuft-like hairs that grow out of the ear cups. The snout is elongated and rounded, the hind legs much stronger than the front legs and the tail longer than the body. As with all wet nose monkeys form the incisors and canines of the lower jaw a tooth comb, the tongue is greatly extended. They are similar in appearance to the mouse lemurs, but have a longer tail and longer hind legs.

Distribution and habitat

Büschelohrmakis come like all lemurs available only in Madagascar. Until the 1980s, the species was only a few places on the east coast known now deposits were discovered in several regions, their distribution area comprises of current knowledge, the northeastern Madagascar. Their habitat are rainforests up to 1600 meters above sea level, but preferably it will stay in areas below 1000 meters.

Way of life

These primates are nocturnal and spend the day in tree hollows, they pad with leaves. At night, they go in search of food. In the drier months of June to September, they spend the winter rest, what they create fat reserves in their bodies.

Little is known about their diet, but the teeth indicate that they primarily feed similar to the Gabelstreifenmakis tree sap. Insects are likely to supplement their bill of fare.

Even on their social behavior little is known, probably they live in monogamous pairs. In January or February usually a single young is born.

Threat

Büschelohrmakis are considered rare animals. They inhabit a small area in the northeast of Madagascar and are threatened by the clearing of rain forests, as well as their flesh is eaten by the local people like.

After its first description in 1875, the animals were not seen nearly a hundred years, only in 1966, which took place again. Then again it took over twenty years to 1989 again Büschelohrmakis were sighted. Since then, they are regularly observed. In the 1990s, they were considered " threatened with extinction " ( critically endangered ), but now more populations have been discovered, so that the IUCN " critically endangered " on the level of risk in 2000 ( endangered ) was downgraded. Meanwhile, the status is set to " insufficient data " ( data deficient ).