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Grey Mouse Lemur (Microcebus murinus) wildlife photograph

Field guide · common

Grey Mouse Lemur

Tiny night forager of Madagascar — huge eyes, soft grey fur, and torpor when food is scarce.

Least Concern

Microcebus murinus

Overview

Grey mouse lemurs are among the world’s smallest primates, darting through western Madagascar’s dry forests after dark. They store fat in the tail, enter torpor in lean seasons, and feed on fruit, gum, and insects.

For Madagascar collectors, this mouse lemur is a common but charming island endemic — miniature, nocturnal, and uniquely Malagasy.

Habitat

  • Dry deciduous forest
  • Gallery forest
  • Secondary scrub

Dry deciduous forest, gallery forest, and secondary scrub of western and southern Madagascar, nesting in tree holes and dense foliage.

Countries found

Field notes

Field scale for the Grey Mouse Lemur: length around 12-14 cm body; tail ~13-15 cm; weight 60-80 g. Typical lifespan: Around 6-8 years in the wild.

When you are scanning habitat, prioritise dry deciduous forest, gallery forest, and secondary scrub. Those settings are where a clean look and a usable photo are most likely.

Quick ID anchor: Tiny grey-brown lemur with large nocturnal eyes and a long soft tail. Confirm with behaviour and habitat before you log the discovery.

Diet

Fruit, gum, nectar, flowers, and insects gleaned from branches at night.

Opportunistic foragers that track seasonal plant and insect peaks.

Behaviour

Nocturnal; females may share sleeping sites while foraging alone.

Use scent and soft calls; enter torpor when temperatures drop or food is scarce.

How to identify

Tiny grey-brown lemur with large nocturnal eyes and a long soft tail.

Pointed snout and rounded ears; body often fits in a human palm.

Interesting facts

  1. 01

    Among the smallest living primates by weight.

  2. 02

    Nocturnal and mostly solitary while foraging.

  3. 03

    Can enter daily or seasonal torpor to save energy.

  4. 04

    Tail stores fat for dry-season survival.

  5. 05

    Eat fruit, flowers, gum, nectar, and insects.

  6. 06

    Sleep in leaf nests or tree cavities by day.

Conservation status

LC: Least Concern

Grey mouse lemurs are Least Concern relative to many lemurs, but Madagascar’s dry forests continue to shrink. Habitat protection still matters for long-term security.

Sources: IUCN Red List

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