Common bear lemur
| Common bear lemur | ||||||||||||
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Common Bear Lemur ( Arctocebus calabarensis ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Arctocebus calabarensis | ||||||||||||
| ( JA Smith , 1860) |
The common bear lemur ( Arctocebus calabarensis ) is a species of primate from the Loris family (Lorisidae).
features
Ordinary bear lemurs reach a body length of 23 to 31 centimeters, there is no tail. The weight is about 0.3 to 0.5 kilograms. Their fur is colored yellow-brown on the upper side, the underside is almost white. The head is darker than the rest of the body and there is a white stripe along the nose. The common bear tarsier is the only primate with a fully developed nictitating membrane . The second finger is shortened like all Loris, the hands are adapted to a secure grip in the branches.
distribution and habitat
Common bear lemurs are native to central Africa , their range includes southeastern Nigeria and western Cameroon . The river Sanaga forms the limit of their distribution area, east of it lives the golden bear lemur . Habitat of this species are tropical forests, they prefer forest types with dense undergrowth such as secondary forests .
Lifestyle and diet
These primates are nocturnal tree dwellers, during the day they sleep hidden in dense vegetation. At night they go in search of food, moving like all Loris with slow, careful movements, with their specialized hands they hold on to the branches securely. They live solitary, but the territory of one male overlaps with that of two or three females.
Common lemurs mainly eat insects, such as caterpillars or moths. Fruits complete the menu.
Reproduction
The male mates with all females whose territories overlap with his, mating takes place upside down on a branch. After a gestation period of 131 to 136 days, a single young is usually born. This initially clings to the mother's stomach, and after three to four months it is weaned. Sexual maturity occurs at around 8 to 10 months.
Danger
The main threats to the common lemur are the destruction of their habitat and hunting for their meat. Due to their ability to live in partially cleared forests, they are less threatened than other African primates. The IUCN lists the species as "not endangered" ( least concern ).
The species is no longer maintained in Europe, former owners are Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam (world first breed), Rotterdam, Wassenaar and London.
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 .
supporting documents
Web links
- Information at theprimata.com
- Arctocebus calabarensis in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: JF Oates & S. Bearder, 2008. Accessed on 13 second in 2009.