DWARF, FORK-MARKED, AND MOUSE LEMURS

Ten known dwarf lemur species in two genera, twenty-four mouse lemur species, two giant mouse lemur species, and four fork-marked lemur species.

HAIRY-EARED DWARF LEMURS

Genus: Allocebus

Allocebus trichotis

CONSERVATION STATUS: ENDANGERED

The hairy-eared dwarf lemur is a small primate species local to lowland forests in Madagascar. For more than 20 years, these tiny lemurs were presumed extinct, but they were rediscovered in 1989 near the Mananara River in Northeast Madagascar. Environmental and human threats are continuously detrimental to the hairy-eared dwarf lemur population. Today, they are one of the rarest lemur…

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DWARF LEMURS

Genus: Cheirogaleus

Photo credit: Frank Vassen/Creative Commons

Cheirogaleus medius

CONSERVATION STATUS: VULNERABLE

The fat-tailed dwarf lemur, also known as lesser dwarf lemurs, or western fat-tailed dwarf lemurs, is endemic to the dry deciduous forests of western Madagascar. Madagascar experiences a hot, wet season from November to April, and a cool, dry season from May to October. During the dry season, water is extremely scarce…

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Cheirogaleus major

CONSERVATION STATUS: VULNERABLE

The Geoffroy’s dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus major, also known as the greater dwarf lemur, inhabits tropical rainforests and dry shrub biomes across northern and eastern Madagascar. They are found at high and low elevations, including the rainforests in the Vohimena and Anosy mountains as well as the coastal littoral…

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MOUSE LEMURS

Genus: Microcebus

Photo credit: Blanchard Randrianambinina/Creative Commons

Microcebus gerpi

CONSERVATION STATUS: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED

The Gerp’s mouse lemur is only found in the Sahafina forest and surrounding secondary forests in eastern Madagascar. The region is a mix of dense lowland forest and formerly logged woodlands now in recovery. This area of the island nation is particularly humid due to its placement in between the Indian Ocean…

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Microcebus murinus

CONSERVATION STATUS: LEAST CONCERN

The gray mouse lemur, also known as the lesser mouse lemur, is endemic to Madagascar. They mainly occupy dry deciduous forests from Mahajanga in the northwest to Tulear in the southwest, along most of the west coast. A distinct population has also been found in the southeast near Fort Dulphin. The gray…

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Microcebus griseorufus

CONSERVATION STATUS: LEAST CONCERN

The gray-brown mouse lemur is a prosimian that is found throughout the Toliara province, which spans much of south and southwestern coastline of Madagascar. Prosimians are the most primitive of the primates, and they all live in the Old World—that is, Africa or Asia. Gray-brown mouse lemurs, like all lemurs, are endemic…

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Microcebus berthae

CONSERVATION STATUS: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED

Sometimes known as the pygmy mouse lemur or Berthe’s mouse lemur, the Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur is named after the conservationist and primatologist Berthe Rakotosamimanana of Madagascar. This species of lemur is restricted to a small area within the Menabe region in western Madagascar. They live in highly…

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Microcebus myoxinus

CONSERVATION STATUS: VULNERABLE

Originally described in 1858, the pygmy mouse lemur (Microcebus myoxinus), also known as Peters’ mouse lemur, dormouse lemur, or western rufous mouse lemur, was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in the Kirindy Forest of Madagascar in 1993. Like all lemurs, they are endemic to the island of Madagascar. They make…

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GIANT MOUSE LEMURS

Genus: Mirza

Mirza coquereli

CONSERVATION STATUS: ENDANGERED

Like all lemurs, Coquerel’s giant mouse lemurs (Mirza coquereli), also called Coquerel’s dwarf lemurs or Coquerel’s mouse-lemurs, are endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are primarily found in the dry and gallery forests on the southwestern portion of the island, between the Onilahy and Tsiribinha rivers…

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Mirza zaza

CONSERVATION STATUS: VULNERABLE

The northern giant mouse lemur is endemic to Madagascar. They are found primarily in the dry forests of the northwest region of the Ampasindava Peninsula, specifically in Ambato and Pasandava. They also inhabit secondary forests, old banana plantations, gallery forests, and abandoned cashew orchards. Madagascar…

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FORK-MARKED LEMURS

Genus: Phaner

Phaner pallescens

CONSERVATION STATUS: ENDANGERED

The Pale fork-marked lemur, also known as the western fork-marked lemur or pale fork-crowned lemur, is a lemur endemic to the dry western forests of Madagascar. They have the largest range of any of the fork-marked lemurs, and are distributed in patches from the Fiherenana River to the village of Soalala. The most northern…

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