Mammals · Primates · Galagidae

Northern Lesser Galago

Galago senegalensis

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Its large ears, made of four independent segments it can fold back one at a time, give it extraordinarily sensitive hearing for pinpointing insects in the dark.

Weight

95 g – 300 g

Size

13 cm on average

Lifespan

18 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaOmnivore Nocturnal Solitary Savanna Mammal

43countries 11parks1same family

Fun facts

It eats insects, small vertebrates, fruit, seeds, flowers, eggs and tree sap.
It lives in wooded savannah and open woodland across much of sub-Saharan Africa.
It can leap several metres between branches on its powerful hind legs.
comunicaciónIt gives very high calls that sound like a human baby crying, which is where its English name of bushbaby comes from.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Wooded savannah and open woodland across much of sub-Saharan Africa
Birth weight: Born with its eyes half shut and unable to move on its own
Size at birth: Born with its eyes half shut
Sexual maturity: 7.9 months
Gestation / incubation: 110-120 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 2 young per litter, with up to 2 litters per year
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 17.1 years

Sources consulted: Wikipedia (Senegal bushbaby); AnAge (genomics.senescence.info)

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: All year round in the wooded savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa, at night; it is found with a torch by the shine of its eyes and by its leaps between acacias.