Giant Galagos
| Giant Galagos | ||||||||||||
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Big-eared giant galago ( Otolemur crassicaudatus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Otolemur | ||||||||||||
| Coquerel , 1859 |
The Riesengalagos ( Otolemur ) are a primate genus in the family Galagos (Galagonidae). The genus includes three species that occur in eastern and southern Africa .
features
Giant Galagos are by far the largest members of their family. They reach a head body length of 23 to 46 centimeters, a tail length of 30 to 55 centimeters and a weight of 0.6 to 2 kilograms. Their fur is soft and woolly, the color varies from silver-gray to red-brown, with the underside being lighter. The large ears have four transverse grooves and can be moved forward or backward independently of each other. The long fingers have flat discs on the tips, which give them a secure hold in the branches, all fingers have nails. Another characteristic is the long, very bushy tail. As in all Galagos, the eyes are enlarged to adapt to the nocturnal lifestyle.
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the giant galagos stretches from southern Somalia through Tanzania and Mozambique to northern South Africa and west to Angola . Their habitat is tree-lined areas, mainly forests. Sometimes they are also found in tree-covered grasslands and even in urban parks.
Way of life
Giant Galagos are nocturnal like all Galagos, during the day they sleep in leaf nests. They are mostly in the trees and rarely get on the ground. In the branches they mostly move on all fours, in contrast to other Galagos they rarely jump.
Social behavior is variable, at least one species, the big-eared giant galago , lives in family groups of two to six animals. At least the males are territorial and defend their urine-marked territory against same-sex intruders, but their territory can overlap with that of the females. Giant galagos communicate using different sounds, and their baby-like screams give them the name of bush babies. These screams are used to demarcate the territory and to search for group members. Giant galagos feed on fruits, tree saps and insects. The composition of the food can vary greatly depending on the region and season.
Reproduction
Once a year, the female gives birth to one to three young animals after a gestation period of around 130 days. The young develop quickly, they have their eyes open after birth and can crawl after 30 minutes. They start eating solid foods at one month and are finally weaned at five months. They are sexually mature at just under two years of age. In human care, they can live to be over 18 years old.
Giant Galagos are common animals, no species appear on the endangered species list.
Systematics
There are three types:
- The big-eared giant galago ( Otolemur crassicaudatus ) is the largest species. It lives in eastern and southern Africa.
- The silver giant galago ( Otolemur monteiri ) is closely related to the big-eared giant galago and is often classified as a subspecies thereof.
- The small-eared giant galago or northern giant galago ( Otolemur garnettii ) has the northernmost distribution area.
Zoo situation
In Europe, the species can only be seen in Russia and Belarus. Former German owners are Berlin, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Aschersleben, Dresden, Duisburg, Halle, Hamburg, Hanover, Heidelberg, Cologne, Kronberg, Leipzig, Saarbrücken and Wuppertal.
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 .
