Bear lemurs
| Bear lemurs | ||||||||||||
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Common Bear Lemur ( Arctocebus calabarensis ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Arctocebus | ||||||||||||
| Gray , 1863 |
The bear lemurs ( Arctocebus ) or Angwantibos are a genus of primate from the family of Loris (Lorisidae). There are two types, common and golden bear lemurs .
features
Bear lemurs reach a body length of 22 to 30 centimeters, the tail is missing. Their weight is around 0.3 to 0.5 kilograms. The fur is yellow-brown and can take on a golden yellow color in the case of the Golden Bear Maki. The snout is more pointed than that of other Loris, in connection with the round ears it is responsible for the bear-like appearance to which the animals owe their German name.
distribution and habitat
Bear lemurs live in central Africa , their range extends from Nigeria via Cameroon to Gabon and the Republic of the Congo . The Sanaga River in Cameroon separates the ranges of the two species. Their habitat are tropical rainforests, although they prefer areas with dense undergrowth.
Way of life
Bear lemurs are tree dwellers that live in the lower layers of the trees. They are nocturnal and spend the day hidden in leaves. Like all Loris, they are characterized by slow movements. Bear lemurs are loners.
food
Bear lemurs feed primarily on insects, especially caterpillars, and occasionally fruits. Thanks to their cautious movements and their keen sense of smell, they can stalk their prey quietly and catch it with a lightning-fast movement.
Reproduction
The males mate with all females with whom their territory overlaps; copulation occurs upside down hanging from a branch. After a gestation period of 130 days, a young animal is born. The boy first clings to the mother's stomach and is later "parked" on a branch again and again when the mother goes looking for food. It is weaned at three to four months, leaves the mother at around six months and becomes sexually mature at eight to ten months. The life expectancy of the bear lemurs is a maximum of 13 years.
Danger
The destruction of their habitat is the main threat to the bear lemurs. In addition, there is hunting for their meat. Due to their adaptability they are not yet counted among the threatened species, the IUCN lists both species as "not endangered".
Systematics
The closest relative of the bear lemurs is the Potto , who also lives in Africa . There are two types:
- The common bear lemur ( Arctocebus calabarensis ) lives west of the Sanaga and has a yellow-brown fur.
- The Golden Bear Maki ( Arctocebus aureus ) lives east of the Sanage, its fur is orange-yellow.
In older systematics, both species were combined into one common species.
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2002, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
- Don E. Wilson, DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
