Goodman's Mouse Lemur
(Microcebus lehilahytsara)
Facts
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IUCN DATA DEFICIENT (DD)
Facts about this animal
The Goodman's mouse lemur is a very small primate species, reaching a head-body length of 8 cm, it is only a little bigger than a big mouse. The body-weight varies from 30 to 55 grams according to season, because the animals accumulate fat in their tails during the southern summer, which helps them to survive the winter period. The Goodman's mouse lemur has short, rounded ears, with a white stripe on the bridge of its nose. Its short, dense fur is bright maroon with an orange tinge on the back, head and tail, turning creamy white on its stomach.
Goodman's mouse lemur are nocturnal and arboreal, searching lower trees and the undergrowth for food, such as fruit, flowers, sprouts, insects and frogs . During daytime they sleep in hollows or unused bird's nests, In some areas the population density may exceed 250 per sq.km.
Did you know?
That the Goodman's mouse lemur and another lemur species, Northern giant mouse lemur (Mirza zaza) were discovered as late as 2005 by scientists at the German Primate Center (DPZ) and the University of Göttingen bringing the total of known lemur species to 49?
| Factsheet | |
|---|---|
| Class | MAMMALIA |
| Order | PRIMATES |
| Suborder | PROSIMIA |
| Family | LEMURIDAE |
| Name (Scientific) | Microcebus lehilahytsara |
| Name (English) | Goodman's Mouse Lemur |
| Name (French) | Microcèbe de Goodman |
| Name (German) | Goodman-Mausmaki |
| Name (Spanish) | Ratón Lémur de Goodman |
| CITES Status | Appendix I |
| CMS Status | Not listed |
Photo Copyright by
Samuel Furrer
Distribution
| Distribution | |
|---|---|
| Range | Central Madagascar |
| Habitat | Lowland and mountain rainforest, but also in disturbed or destroyed forest areas |
| Wild population | Unknown, as it was recently discovered in the year 2005 (Red List IUCN 2011) |
| Zoo population | 9 reported to ISIS (as M. rufus) |
In the Zoo
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How this animal should be transported
For air transport, Container Note 31 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.
Find this animal on ZooLex
Photo Copyright by
Samuel Furrer
Why do zoos keep this animal
The Goodman's mouse lemur is a newly described species, and there is an interest in keeping them with a view of increasing our scientific knowledge.
In Moonlight Exhibits it can serve as an ambassador species for the unique fauna of Madagascar. In large Ecosystem Exhibits, such as Zurich zoo's Masoala Rainforest the animals can serve as a topic for interpretation on the occasion of late evening guided tours.