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Scientific Name: Otolemur crassicaudatus
Common Name: Thick-tailed Bushbaby, Bos nagaap
Description: The body is gray to dark brown, darker
around the eyes but without any distinct markings on the face. The head is
small and rounded, with a longer, broader muzzle than in the Lesser
Bushbaby. The eyes are large and forward-facing reflecting red eyes when caught
with a light at night. The ears are huge and rounded. The tail is fluffy and
longer than the head and body, sometimes with a dark tip. The limbs are long;
each foot has five toes, with nails instead of claws except on the second toes
of the hind feet, which have long, curved grooming claws.
Difference in Sex: Males are slightly bigger than
females.
Average Weight : male 1.22 kg and
female 1.13 kg
Habitat: Forest, thickets and savanna woodland,
riverine forests.
Habits: Thick-tailed Bushbabies are nocturnal and
tree-living. They are agile climbers and can leap 2 m horizontally and 5 m
downwards. They do not land on its hind feet like the Lesser Bushbaby. On the
ground they walk on all fours and only rarely hops on the hind feet. The Lesser
Bushbaby hops on it's hind legs. They shelter during the day in nests of fresh
leaves in the densest foliage and live in communities of several adults of both
sexes and their young. Individuals mark territories with chest, lip, chin,
and ano-genital gland secretions, as well as urine which is dribbled onto
the feet. The scent is then transferred onto branches as the bushbaby climbs,
giving a firmer grip at the same time. They forage singly or in small groups.
Mothers forage with their young up to an age of 10 months.
Main feeding time:
Size:
Gestation: Litters of 2 are born after a
gestation of 135 days in August to September. Young are born with fur and the
eyes are open and young can crawl within 30 minutes. They remain in the nest for
three weeks and are then carried around by their mother when she forages, either
in her mouth or on her back. Weaning begins at 3 weeks.
Number of young at birth: 1 to 3 young.
Communication: Thick-tailed Bushbabies give a wide
range of calls; lasting up to 5 seconds and sound uncannily like crying human
babies - hence the common name. They also make a rasping sound by scraping a
rough pad on the feet along branches.
Age: unknown
Diet: Birds, fruit and acacia gum and insects.
Enemies: Leopard, Giant eagle owl
Interesting facts:
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