Madame Berthe's mouse lemur

Madame Berthe's mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae), also called Berthe's mouse lemur, is the smallest primate in the world. These tiny creatures are about 9.2 cm (3.6 in) long and weigh around 30 g (1.1 oz). They are a type of mouse lemur and live only on the island of Madagascar.

This special lemur was first found in 1992 in the dry forests of western Madagascar, especially in the Kirindy Forest. At first, scientists thought it was a known type of mouse lemur, but later studies showed it was a brand-new species.

The lemur is named after Berthe Rakotosamimanana, a scientist from Madagascar who studied primates and helped protect them. Her work helped us learn more about these fascinating small animals.

Physical description

Madame Berthe's mouse lemur has short, thick fur that is a mix of cinnamon and yellow on its back. Its midback stripe is tawny, and its belly is a light chamois color. The sides are a mix of pale chamois and light gray. The tail is short and tawny, and the head and ears are also tawny. The area between the eyes is cinnamon, and the hands and feet are dull beige. The fur under the main layers is a neutral blackish-gray color.

Distribution and habitat

Madame Berthe's mouse lemur lives in the Kirindy Forest in Madagascar. These small lemurs like to sleep in tree vines. Because they only live in one special place, they need that exact home to survive. They might share their home with another type of lemur called the gray mouse lemur.

The forests where they live have been shrinking. Between 1985 and 2000, many trees were cut down. Because of this, there are fewer places for these lemurs to live, and they are now considered critically endangered.

Behavior

Madame Berthe's mouse lemur is usually alone when looking for food, but it does interact with others of its kind. About half the time, these lemurs sleep by themselves. Other times, they might sleep next to one or more other lemurs, without caring if they are close family or the other sex. They often sleep in leaf nests in trees or in hole-like spots.

Sometimes, two lemurs meet and do things like cleaning each other, spending time together, or even chasing each other. Males and females act similarly in these meetings. Unlike some other lemurs, Madame Berthe's mouse lemur does not sleep through the cold-dry season. Instead, it searches a larger area for food.

In groups of these lemurs, there are usually more males than females. Females are a bit bigger than males, even though they look the same. Males explore larger areas—about 4.92 hectares (12.2 acres)—than females, who stay closer to where they were born, covering about 2.50 hectares (6.2 acres). Females often stay near their birthplace, while males move away. Their living areas often overlap, with females sharing space with one or two others, and males with up to nine others.

These lemurs are more like the gray mouse lemur than the fat-tailed dwarf lemur, meaning they do not pair up for life. Studies show they remain active throughout the year, which allows them to spend time together more often.

Ecology

Mouse lemurs live in forests in Madagascar and look very similar. Madame Berthe's mouse lemur and the gray mouse lemur eat foods like sugary liquids from insects, fruits, flowers, and small animals such as geckos and chameleons. Even though they live near each other, they usually stay apart.

Madame Berthe's mouse lemur mostly eats insects and sometimes fruits. It eats more during the dry season and uses the wet season for mating. Both types of mouse lemurs can adjust to changes in food, but they avoid competing by staying in different small areas.

Status

As of December 2019, Madame Berthe's mouse lemur is rated critically endangered by the IUCN Red List. The main danger to this tiny animal is losing its home because of deforestation and damage from Slash-and-burn farming, illegal logging, and making charcoal. A protected area called the Menabe-Antimena has been created to guard the Kirindy Forest and nearby lands, but the rules are not followed well, and the forest keeps disappearing.

If trees keep being cut down at the same speed, scientists believe Madame Berthe's mouse lemur could disappear forever in about 10 years. As of 2019, there are no of these lemurs living in special places called captivity.