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Galago

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Galagos are small primates found in sub-Saharan Africa. Many people call them bush babies or nagapies. The name nagapies means "night monkeys" in Afrikaans.

Bushbabies
Bushbabies

These animals are nocturnal, so they are active at night. They belong to the family Galagidae. They are very successful living things in Africa.

Galago (Otolicnus Galago)
Galago (Otolicnus Galago)

Some people even use the name bush baby to tell scary stories. They say the name comes from the animal's cries. In Ghana, people call them aposor because they grip branches so firmly.

These primates have special bodies for life in the dark. They have large eyes to help them see at night. Their ears are shaped like a bat's ears. These ears help them track insects in the dark.

Garnett's Galago (Greater Bushbaby)
Garnett's Galago (Greater Bushbaby)

They catch bugs on the ground or snatch them from the air. Galagos also have a special toothcomb. This is a set of comb-like front teeth. They use it to groom themselves. Most of their toes have nails, but one toe on the back foot has a grooming claw.

Galagos are famous for being amazing jumpers. They can cover ten yards in just a few seconds. The highest jump ever reported was about 4 meters.

Bushbabies
Bushbabies

They use strong muscles in their hind limbs to leap. Their leg tendons store elastic energy to help them jump. This makes them jump much better than a frog. In the air, they tuck their limbs close to their bodies. They stretch them out at the last second to grab a branch. Their long tails help them stay balanced during these leaps.

Family life for a galago involves many different steps. A mother carries her baby in her mouth after a few days. She may place the infant on branches while she feeds.

Garnett's Galago (Greater Bushbaby)
Garnett's Galago (Greater Bushbaby)

The young are fed by their mothers for six weeks. By two months, they can feed themselves. Females live in groups with their offspring. Adult males often live in their own separate areas. These males may mate with all the females in a nearby area. Some males even form small groups called bachelor groups.

Galagos use many ways to talk to one another. They use loud calls to identify their own species. Scientists use these calls to tell different species apart.

Galago (Otolicnus Galago)
Galago (Otolicnus Galago)

They also mark their paths with urine. This helps them land on the exact same branch every time. At the end of the night, they use a rallying call. This call tells the group to gather together. Then, they sleep in nests made of leaves or holes in trees.

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🖼️ Images & Media (3)
File:Bushbabies.JPG
Bushbabies.JPG
File:Garnett's Galago (Greater Bushbaby).jpg
Garnett's Galago (Greater Bushbaby).jpg
File:Galago (Otolicnus Galago).png
Galago (Otolicnus Galago).png
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