SOUTHERN LESSER BUSHBABY ( GALAGO MAHOLI )
Bushbabies are primates, but they are not monkeys. Along with lemurs, pottos and lorises, they form the primate suborder of prosimians or “pre-monkeys”. Bushbabies are nocturnal and they have a reflective layer in their large eyes that allows them to see in the dark. Prosimians also have an elongated nose, almost like a snout, and are heavily reliant on their sense of smell.
Its fingernails are rounded like our own, with the exception of the second toe which is modified as a toilet claw. This pointed claw is used to groom the head and neck fur and to clean the ears. The fingers and toes have flat disks of thickened skin which aid in grasping tree limbs and slippery surfaces. The index finger on each hand is degenerate (much shorter than the other fingers of the hand) in order to facilitate a better grip around larger branches. Bushbabies commonly use their toothcombs for grooming and are therefore ingeniously equipped with a second, pointy tongue underneath their normal one (called sublingua), which they use like a toothpick to remove any debris stuck in the toothcomb.
These tiny animals are about 37cm in length and weigh around 150g when fully grown, and can jump an astounding 5m from a vertical position on one tree to the next. They use their strong legs to push off for a jump and their tail works like a rudder to direct them to their desired landing spot.
Habitat/diet: Bushbabies inhabit all types of habitat in much of sub-Saharan Africa, except the most southern parts of South Africa. (Bushbabies like to live in the vicinity of acacia and mopani trees and are often seen in the suburbs of Pretoria.) They curl up together to sleep in tree hollows or self-made treetop nests during the day.
Bushbabies eat beetles, grasshoppers, scorpions, small reptiles, butterflies and moths. These amazing hunters can catch fly- ing prey in mid-air whilst leaping from tree to tree. Bushbabies are also partial to acacia gum, which they gouge out of trees using their toothcomb. Also helpful for treesap harvesting are the strong claws of the bushbaby index fingers and their rough tongue, which feels just like sandpaper!
Life history: Like humans, bushbabies normally give birth to one offspring at a time, though twins and even triplets are occasionally born. The gestation length is usually just over four months. Newborn infants are carried in the mother’s mouth or cling to her belly during their first month of life, after which they are able to ride on her back. By two months, a little bushbaby can travel independently and weaning occurs by the age of five months. These little animals have a lifespan of around 15 years.
DID YOU KNOW?
Lesser Bushbabies scent-mark their territories with specialised scent glands and by urinating on their hands and feet, thereby spreading their sweet pungent smell anywhere they go. Their wet noses (rhinariums) and Jacobson’s organ in the roof of the mouth allow them to detect complex information transmitted via liquid chemicals.
Thick-tailed bushbabies, on the other hand, take their hands and cup them, and then deposit urine on them. Next they take that urine and spread it on the soles of the feet. When it walks, it leaves a little bit of urine on the substrate. Males urine-wash more frequently than females do, and when the female is in estrus, the male will deposit the urine directly upon the female.