Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemur

Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemurs are one of the smallest lemurs. Their "fat-tails" are a special adaptation. They are one of the only two species of lemurs (and primates) that go into a state called torpor, which resembles hibernation. For this reason, they store fat in their bodies over the winter, and they put on a lot of weight at this time. They weigh about 150 grams in the rainy season, when food is abundant. At the beginning of the dry season, their weight goes up to about 200 or more.

madagascar map These lemurs are nocturnal, so they are active and feed at night. They live in the forests of Madagascar on the western coast of the island. They are endangered, but not as much as most of the other lemurs. They are difficult to catch because of where they live, their size, and because they are inactive for at least half of the year. So, they are not a major target for hunting. However, this lemur species is declining because its forest home is being destroyed, and also because, even though it is so small, it is still hunted and captured in traps by local people.

Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemurs mate in November, and give birth in January. Usually they have twins, but they can have a litter that ranges from 1 - 4 young. They are sexually mature at 1 year of age.

During the day they sleep in holes in trees (up to five animals in one hole), and they forage for food at night. They eat fruit, nectar from flowers, leaf buds, tree gums, insects, and sometimes, small vertebrates.

During the rainy season, while they are storing fat in preparation for the dry season, their body weight increases about 75 grams. Although they put on fat throughout their body, much of it is stored in their tail, and the volume of their tail triples in size. This is how they got their name.

More Lemurs...

General Lemur Information
Aye-Aye
Aloatran Gentle Lemur
Black & White Ruffed Lemur
Red-Ruffed Lemur
Ring-tailed Lemur

Questions about Lemurs or the other animals of Madagascar?
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