Biology

A nocturnal, solitary forager, Madame Berthe's mouse lemur is an agile mover through the trees and low-level vegetation, searching for insects, fruit and small reptiles such as geckoes and chameleons (3) (6) (7). While the diet of this species is extremely varied, its major food source is the sugary secretion, or “honeydew”, produced by the larvae of the insect species, Flatida coccinea (5) (6) (7). At dawn, Madame Berthe's mouse lemur conceals itself amongst vegetation, often in a tangle of vines, where it may be accompanied by other individuals of the same species (8) (9). Interestingly, during the cooler, dry winter months, Madame Berthe's mouse lemur undergoes a daily period of torpor, lowering its metabolic rate for a few hours, which causes its body temperature to drop to ambient levels, thereby conserving water and energy (3) (5). Madame Berthe's mouse lemur is heavily preyed upon by owls, civets, mongooses, snakes and even other lemurs (5) (6). Mating occurs in November (9), with the young born, after a gestation period of around two months (5) in January (9).