Thick-Tailed Bushbaby(Otolemur crassicaudatus)Madison Gohlke

Swaziland

Study Abroad 2016

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Primates

Family: Galagidae

Genus: Otolemur

Species: Otolemur crassicaudatus

Common names: Thick-tailed bushbaby, thick-tailed galago, greater galago,

brown greater galago

Why bush baby?

Distinguishing Characteristics

Large ears which can move independently; furl and unfurl; transverse ridges

Large eyes with excellent night vision

Flattened disks of skin on ends of toes and fingers (climbing)

Fur: Ranges from gray to brown on dorsal side; lighter cream on ventral side

Size: 26-47 cm; ~2kg

Sexual dimorphism: Males larger

http://www.mindenpictures.com/cache/p

cache2/80142904.jpg

Foot of Galago moholihttp://lemur.duke.edu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/23556_og-

2866-pretoria_DSC0402ED.jpg

http://www.hlasek.com/foto/otolemur_crassicaudatus_

db9035.jpg

Distribution

Southern and East Africa, especially Angola, Tanzania, southern Kenya, and

the Somalian coast

Subspecies:

O. c. crassicaudatus lives only in the Kwazulu region

O. c. kirkii lives from Massangena to Vila Coutinho, Mozambique, and Malawi

By IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, species assessors and the

authors of the spatial data., CC BY-SA 3.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12517779

Habitats

Arboreal; forest canopy

Riverine, coastal, or dry/savannah woodlands

Prefer dense growth in forks of trees, not exposed branches

Females build leafy nests

Habituates well to humans and urbanized areas; may even scavenge lodges

and other human food sources

Live in small family groups, monogamous or polygynous

Territorial:

Female ranges may overlap

Male ranges do not usually overlap other males; may overlap several females

http://www.awf.org/sites/default/files/media/gallery

/wildlife/Bush%20Baby/bush%2Bbaby.JPG?itok=PpmswP

fv

Diet

Omnivorous nocturnal foragers. Jump from tree to tree looking for:

Largely tree gums (acacia, etc.) and saps

Fruits: berries, figs

Seeds and flowers

Some insects: butterflies, moths, beetles, slugs

Some reptiles and small birds

Proportions vary with location

Infants: mother galago produces extremely rich milk

http://www.resolutionpossible.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Gumarabic-

accaciatree-The-Guardian.jpg

Diseases/Parasites Little information is available on diseases and parasites specific to O.

crassicadatus or to galagos in general

However, pet care websites warn that many primates, including galagos,

often carry zoonotic diseases and parasites such as Salmonella, Klebsiella,

and Campylobacter.

Wild galagos may also carry yellow fever.

http://www.chinaaseansps.com/upload/2012-09/12091217469866.jpg https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/images/thumb/5/51/Klebsiella_pneumonia

e.jpg/400px-Klebsiella_pneumoniae.jpghttp://img.medscapestatic.com/pi/meds/ckb/31/36931tn.jpg

Salmonella Klebsiella Campylobacter

Behavior Nocturnal, arboreal. 9.5 hours of activity per day in summer; 12 hours per day

in winter. Sleep in groups during day but separate at night to forage.

Groups of 2-7 animals (adult pair with young, adult females with young, lone adult female with young)

Urine washing: cover paws with urine to distribute scent widely when on the move

Don’t move by long jumps, just tree to tree (up to 2 meters). Typically run quadrupedally

Social interaction at gathering sites (range overlap, food sources, good sleeping trees)

Reciprocal licking of fur, posturing, visual cues

Vocalizing; different types of calls (clicking softly between mother and baby, louder clicking between adults, and loud cries, barks, and a high-pitched alarm call)

Males fight aggressively over possession of females

Reproduction, Life History, Life Span Mating may be monogamous or polygynous; depends on population density

Males breed with females whose territories overlap their own

Attract females by vocalization and scent marking

Litters of 2-3; young are altricial

Mothers leave their young in a nesting tree while they forage

Males become independent at sexual maturity; females may remain longer

Live 18 years or more in captivity; probably less in the wild

https://s-media-cache-

ak0.pinimg.com/736x/94/a7/9a/94a79a2b7e61df58881ad87751

e687d2.jpg

Reproduction

Female estrus cycle ~44 days

Mate Every 4-8 months*

Gestation ~124 days

Age at weaning ~61 days

Age at sexual maturity Sources vary; ~1-2 yrs

*Varies geographically and seasonally

Conservation Status

Galagos are important in controlling the insect populations in their habitats,

and serve as prey to larger animals

They may occasionally be hunted as food animals by humans, but not often

enough to be considered threatened

Greatest threat: loss of habitat through deforestation

However, the IUCN RedList classifies it a species of Least Concern:

“[T]he species is relatively widespread and common, present in a number of well-

managed protected areas, and there are no major threats.”

Questions?

http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/16/1622301bdb07b157a2cefe0f941422c21d8f9f357c33df2703c6

8735294f82aa.jpg

Literature Cited“Brown Greater Galago.” Wikipedia. Last modified December 2, 2015.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_greater_galago. Accessed 11 June 2016.

“Bushbaby.” EcoHealthy Pets. Last modified 2016.

http://www.ecohealthypets.com/browse_animals/mammals/32-bushbaby. Accessed 20 June 2016.

Heuler, Hilary, and Barbara McCrea, Tony Pinchuck, Jeroen van Marle, and Lizzie Williams, The Rough

Guide to South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland. 8th edition, 2015.

IUCN Red List 2015, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/15643/0. Accessed 20 June 2016.

Lundrigan, B. and J. Harris 2000. "Otolemur crassicaudatus.” Animal Diversity Web. Last modified

2014. http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Otolemur_crassicaudatus/. Accessed 11 June

2016.

“Thick-Tailed Bushbaby.” Duke Lemur Center. Accessed June 11, 2016.

http://lemur.duke.edu/discover/meet-the-lemurs/thick-tailed-bush-baby/

Images Bushbaby foot: http://www.mindenpictures.com/cache/pcache2/80142904.jpg

Distribution map: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12517779

http://lemur.duke.edu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/23556_og-2866-pretoria_DSC0402ED.jpg

http://www.hlasek.com/foto/otolemur_crassicaudatus_db9035.jpg

http://www.awf.org/sites/default/files/media/gallery/wildlife/Bush%20Baby/bush%2Bbaby.JPG?itok=PpmswPfv

http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/16/1622301bdb07b157a2cefe0f941422c21d8f9f357c33df2703c68735294f82aa.jpg

http://www.resolutionpossible.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Gumarabic-accaciatree-The-Guardian.jpg

http://www.chinaaseansps.com/upload/2012-09/12091217469866.jpg

https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/images/thumb/5/51/Klebsiella_pneumoniae.jpg/400px-Klebsiella_pneumoniae.jpg

http://img.medscapestatic.com/pi/meds/ckb/31/36931tn.jpg