Anthropology
Open Access

Brown Mouse Lemur

The brown mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus) is a small primate, and like the other mouse lemurs can only be found on the island of Madagascar. They are known also as the rufous mouse lemur, eastern rufous mouse lemur, red mouse lemur, or russet mouse lemur. Its dorsal side is brown or reddish-brown, while ventrally it is a whitish-grey.It was originally considered a subspecies of the gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus) until 1977, when it was reclassified as a separate species.The mouse lemurs are among the shortest-lived of primates. The brown mouse lemur has a lifespan of 6–8 years in the wild, although it averages 12 years under human care.It can be found in rainforests in Eastern Madagascar, and is widely distributed. It is a solitary and nocturnal creature. Brown mouse lemurs are mammals.Brown mouse lemurs are nocturnal creatures, which means they sleep during the day and search for food at night. According to National Geographic, brown mouse lemurs consume “insects, fruit, flowers, and other plants.” They are known to be mostly frugivorous primates (primarily fruit eating), but they can be omnivorous as well.The brown mouse lemur is able to store “thirty-five percent of their body weight” in the form of fat. This fat is stored in the lemur's hind legs and tail and is used for energy when food sources are scarce.The brown mouse lemur generally makes its home in holes found in trees and nests that are made of leaves. On occasion, brown mouse lemurs make use of bird nests. They tend to create the nests in relatively large groups. These groups are made up of the immature young and the females.IUCN red list website states that, “The principal threat to this species is habitat loss due to slash-and-burn agriculture.” They are also threatened by natural predators in their habitat. Some of the well-known predators are “fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox), ring tailed mongoose(Galidia elegans), owls (Strigiformes), and Madagascar harrier hawk (Polyboroides radiatus)." Some say that brown mouse lemurs could be influential in spreading the seeds of plants and fruits they eat. As a result of deforestation they are at risk of extinction according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)