Galago – Lesser bushbabies

These tiny nocturnal creatures are some of the most endearing members of the primate world, instantly recognizable by their huge round eyes, which are perfectly adapted for night vision, and their oversized ears, which can swivel independently to pick up the faintest sounds.

What sets Galago species apart from other small primates is their incredible leaping ability. With long, powerful hind legs, they can spring up to 2.5 meters (8 feet) in a single bound, moving effortlessly from tree to tree in the dark. Unlike monkeys, they don’t swing from branches; instead, they leap like little fur-covered rockets, landing with perfect balance thanks to their long tails. This unique style of movement makes them masters of their nighttime world, darting between branches in search of insects, fruits, tree gum, and nectar.

Another remarkable feature of bushbabies is their acute sense of hearing. Those huge ears can detect the faint rustle of an insect in the grass or the flutter of a moth in the dark. They can even fold their ears back to protect them while leaping through the dense bush, then flick them forward again like little radar dishes. Combined with their giant eyes, this makes them superb hunters in the night, even though they’re small enough to fit in your hand.

Their grooming behavior includes using a special “tooth comb,” a row of lower teeth adapted for brushing their soft fur and even combing through the fur of their companions. Their “baby cries” are so distinctive that locals in some regions once believed bushbabies were actual lost children calling out in the night.