A galago is a small tree dweller and is mainly active at night. This mammal mainly lives in trees and shrubs and feeds on insects, fruits and other small animals. It is mainly found in the south and east of Africa and they live in small groups. The male is very dominant and will defend his territory. Striking about this nocturnal animal are the large eyes, long snout and large ears.
General
The galago belongs to the animal kingdom and falls under the tribe of the Chordata (Chordia animals). It is further divided into the class of mammals, order of the primates and family of the galagos. There are nineteen species and they are found in the south and east of Africa. This animal is closely related to loris and pottos. With its ape-like appearance, it lives in trees and shrubs and is mainly active at night. The male is generally very dominant and will not accept another dominant male.
Appearance
A striking feature of the galago is its round head, large brown eyes, long shackle and large ears. The eyes are adapted to see in the dark and his ears are sometimes worn flat on the head to protect them from twigs. He can move his ears separately from each other. The long muzzle stands out because it is often light in color and it has a moist nose. The tactile senses are well developed in the palms and soles of the feet. He also has whiskers on the ankles, wrists and head. The hind legs are longer than the front legs and they have a large tail that allows them to balance while climbing and jumping. The different types of galagos differ in size. They can only grow a few centimeters, up to 45 centimeters.
Lifestyle
They live in trees and shrubs and they move by climbing and jumping. They mainly eat insects, fruits and gum. The larger galagos also eat small birds and reptiles. A galago can grab a flying insect from the sky with its front legs. They prefer to live in dry forests and sleep during the day. They look for a place between the branches, a hollow in a tree or a homemade nest. Especially females with young can sleep in groups with related other females. A group of up to ten animals can arise. In some cases there are several males in a group, but usually the male lives solitary.
Territory
Residential areas may overlap, but a dominant male will not accept other dominant males or adult females in his habitat. Sometimes independent males who are not yet sexually mature are accepted into the territory of the dominant male. A galago urinates on his hands and feet. They are believed to do this to tighten their grip, but they may also do this to mark their territory. They also urinate on the branches in their territory. They also use substances that come from the skin glands around the genitals and chest to mark the territory.
Communication
Galagos can make different sounds to lure a partner towards them. They can make ten different sounds, also to ward off rivals or warn other galagos of imminent danger. The sound of some galagos is somewhat like a crying baby. A galago can recognize a conspecific by its scent and pass on their own scent to another by rubbing against another galago. Just like monkeys, galagos fleas together.
Reproduction
There are galagos that mate all year round. The male chases the female in heat, she is in heat for about two days. The female is mated by several males. After a gestation period between 100 and 150 days, the young are born. One to three young are born per litter. Nursing time is between 53 and 140 days. A female stays with her mother until she is sexually mature, a male usually leaves the home area of the mother earlier.