PROSIMIANS OF AFRICA

AT-A-GLANCE

African prosimians include angwantibos, galagos (bushbabies), pottos, and lemurs.
Angwantibos, galagos, and pottos live on continental Africa.
Lemurs live only on the island of Madagascar.
Mountain Dwarf Galago
northern-lesser-galago
somali-lesser-galago
southern-lesser-galago-dec-2020_orig
spectacled-lesser-galago_orig
eastern-lesser-bamboo-lemur-may-2021_orig
lac-alaotra-gentle-lemur-jul-2020_orig
common-brown-lemur_orig
crowned-lemur_9_orig
mongoose-lemur_orig
red-bellied-lemur-oct-2020_orig
red-fronted-brown-lemur_orig
fat-tailed-dwarf-lemur-mar-2021_orig
northern-giant-mouse-lemur_orig
gerp-s-mouse-lemur-dec-2020_orig
gray-brown-mouse-lemur-mar-2021_orig
madame-berthe-s-mouse-lemur_orig
black-and-white-ruffed-lemur-dec-2020-yt_orig
red-ruffed-lemur-jun-2019-update_38_orig
ankarana-sportive-lemur-jan-2021_orig
small-toothed-sportive-lemur-feb-2021_orig
white-footed-sportive-lemur-jan-2021_orig
diademed-sifaka-nov-2020_orig
golden-crowned-sifaka_orig
indri-oct-2020_orig
Silky Sifaka
Calabar Angwantibo
Golden Angwantibo
Brown Greater Galago
Garnett's Greater Galago
Kenya Coast Galago
Mountain Dwarf Galago
Northern Lesser Galago
Somali Lesser Galago
Southern Lesser Galago
Southern Needle-Clawed Galago
Spectacled Lesser Galago
Tanzania Coast Dwarf Galago
Allen's Squirrel Galago
Aye-Aye
Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur
Golden Bamboo Lemur
Lac Alaotra Gentle Lemur
Greater Bamboo Lemur
Black Lemur
Collared Brown Lemur
Common Brown Lemur
Crowned Lemur
Mongoose Lemur
Red-Bellied Lemur
Red-Fronted Brown Lemur
White-Collared Lemur
White-Fronted Lemur
Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemur
Geoffroy's Dwarf Lemur
Hairy-Eared Dwarf Lemur
Pale Fork-Marked Lemur
Coquerel's Giant Mouse Lemur
Northern Giant Mouse Lemur
Gerp's Mouse Lemur
Gray Mouse Lemur
Gray Brown Mouse Lemur
Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemur
Pygmy Mouse Lemur
Black and White Ruffed Lemur
Red Ruffed Lemur
Ring-Tailed Lemur
Ankarana Sportive Lemur
Gray's Sportive Lemur
Nosy Be Sportive Lemur
Randrianasolo's Sportive Lemur
Red-Tailed Sportive Lemur
Sahafary Sportive Lemur
Sahamalaza Sportive Lemur
Small-Toothed Sportive Lemur
Weasel Sportive Lemur
White-Footed Sportive Lemur
Coquerel's Sifaka
Crowned Sifaka
Diademed Sifaka
Golden Crowned Sifaka
Indri
Milne-Edwards's Sifaka
Perrier's Sifaka
Silky Sifaka
Verreaux's Sifaka
Von der Decken's Sifaka
Bemaraha Woolly Lemur
Eastern Woolly Lemur
Peyrieras' Woolly Lemur
Western Woolly Lemur
Central African Potto
East African Potto
West African Potto
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Calabar Angwantibo
Golden Angwantibo
Brown Greater Galago
Garnett's Greater Galago
Kenya Coast Galago
Mountain Dwarf Galago
Northern Lesser Galago
Somali Lesser Galago
Southern Lesser Galago
Southern Needle-Clawed Galago
Spectacled Lesser Galago
Tanzania Coast Dwarf Galago
Allen's Squirrel Galago
Aye-Aye
Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur
Golden Bamboo Lemur
Lac Alaotra Gentle Lemur
Greater Bamboo Lemur
Black Lemur
Collared Brown Lemur
Common Brown Lemur
Crowned Lemur
Mongoose Lemur
Red-Bellied Lemur
Red-Fronted Brown Lemur
White-Collared Lemur
White-Fronted Lemur
Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemur
Geoffroy's Dwarf Lemur
Hairy-Eared Dwarf Lemur
Pale Fork-Marked Lemur
Coquerel's Giant Mouse Lemur
Northern Giant Mouse Lemur
Gerp's Mouse Lemur
Gray Mouse Lemur
Gray Brown Mouse Lemur
Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemur
Pygmy Mouse Lemur
Black and White Ruffed Lemur
Red Ruffed Lemur
Ring-Tailed Lemur
Ankarana Sportive Lemur
Gray's Sportive Lemur
Nosy Be Sportive Lemur
Randrianasolo's Sportive Lemur
Red-Tailed Sportive Lemur
Sahafary Sportive Lemur
Sahamalaza Sportive Lemur
Small-Toothed Sportive Lemur
Weasel Sportive Lemur
White-Footed Sportive Lemur
Coquerel's Sifaka
Crowned Sifaka
Diademed Sifaka
Golden Crowned Sifaka
Indri
Milne-Edwards's Sifaka
Perrier's Sifaka
Silky Sifaka
Verreaux's Sifaka
Von der Decken's Sifaka
Bemaraha Woolly Lemur
Eastern Woolly Lemur
Peyrieras' Woolly Lemur
Western Woolly Lemur
Central African Potto
East African Potto
West African Potto
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While viewing the slideshow, click on any photo for the full species profile

ABOUT AFRICAN PRIMATES

African primates range in size from the smallest prosimians to small, medium, and large-sized monkeys—including the largest monkeys in the world—to our closest ancestors, the great apes.

The monkeys of Africa are Old World monkeys. Most live throughout the tropical and equatorial zones. A few live in the semi-arid and rocky northern reaches of Africa. The distribution of some species spans into southern Africa. Some monkeys live in human settlements, including cities.

Among Africa’s nonhuman primate species, some live solely in trees, some primarily in trees, some along river and mangrove banks, and some live on the ground. Most are active in daytime, but some are nocturnal. 

Living at varying heights, whether in trees or on the ground, and dispersing activities between day and nighttime, more evenly distributes access to resources and reduces competition. This is one of the ways that nature ensures that everyone has access to all of the gifts of the Earth.

Worldwide geographic distribution of nonhuman primates