Bushbabies: Galagidae

Physical characteristics: The Senegal bushbaby is also known as a lesser galago or lesser bushbaby. It is gray with yellowish highlights. It has soft, thick fur. Its large eyes are surrounded by thick dark eye-rings. It has very large, moveable ears. A bushbaby can rotate its head in a circle, like an owl. The Senegal bushbaby is 6.5 inches long (16.5 centimeters) with a 10.5-inch (26-centimeter) tail. Adult males weigh 11 ounces (315 grams), with adult females being slightly smaller.

Geographic range: Senegal bushbabies are found in sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Kenya.

Habitat: Senegal bushbabies live in dry forests, thorny scrublands, and grasslands with some trees.

Senegal bushbabies move around at night, usually staying up in the trees and moving from branch to branch. (© Gallo Images/Corbis. Reproduced by permission.)

Diet: Senegal bushbabies usually feed on the gum, or liquid, from acacia (uh-KAY-shah) trees and insects.

Behavior and reproduction: Senegal bushbabies are nocturnal, moving about at night. They usually stay in trees, hanging vertically, or up and down, on tree trunks. They move by making long leaps from branch to branch, up to 10 to 13 feet (about 4 meters). They also can kangaroo-hop on the ground.

A Senegal bushbaby adult male may mate with several females. Females give birth twice a year and are pregnant for about four months. The pregnant mother prepares a leafy birthing nest. Babies weigh about 0.42 ounces (12 grams) at birth. Mothers nurse babies for about three months. For the first few weeks, the infants cling to the mother's fur as she travels. Young males leave their parents at about ten months of age, but females may stay longer. They are ready to have a litter by twelve months of age.

Senegal bushbabies and people: Senegal bushbabies play a small part in the lives of local people.

Conservation status: Senegal bushbabies are not currently endangered, but may become threatened by habitat loss due to land clearing for farming purposes. ∎