Mouse lemur
Microcebus sp.

CONSERVATION STATUS

CITES: Appendix I (What is CITES?)
IUCN Red List: M. berthae, M. ravelobensis, M. sambiranensis, M. tavaratra: EN; M. griseorufus, M. murinus, M. rufus: LC; M. bongolavensis, M. danfossi, M. jollyae, M. lehilahytsara, M. mamiratra, M. mittermeieri, M. myoxinus, M. simmonsi: DD (What is Red List?)
Key: EN = Endangered, LC = Least concern, DD = Data deficient
(Click on species name to see IUCN Red List entry, including detailed status assessment information.)

While several species of mouse lemur are widespread, the recognition of more and more diversity is clarifying the fact that some species are only found in restricted areas or localities, increasing the chances that local habitat alteration and degradation will seriously affect their survival (Yoder et al. 2000; Kappeler & Rasoloarison 2003). As a result, a reassessment of the threat levels of mouse lemurs is needed and the status of some species may be worse than assumed (Rasoazanabary 2004; Louis et al. 2006). The status of M. lehilahytsara is not known (Roos & Kappeler 2006).

Estimates place the entire extant population of M. berthae at less than 8000 individuals (Schwab & Ganzhorn 2004).

CONSERVATION THREATS

Threat: Human-Induced Habitat Loss and Degradation

Human activities have the potential to affect mouse lemurs adversely by degrading or destroying habitats, especially through slash-and-burn agriculture, logging, the production of charcoal, commercial maize farming, brush fires, the collection of firewood, and sapphire mining (Mittermeier et al. 2006). For example, at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve in southwest Madagascar, trees used by mouse lemurs are logged by locals, as well as exploited for honey collection. In addition, forest is degraded for livestock grazing, as well as through slash-and-burn agriculture (Rasoazanabary 2004). For example, slash-and-burn agriculture is also the main threat to the lemurs of Marojejy Strict Nature Reserve (including M. rufus) in northeast Madagascar (Duckworth et al. 1995). While mouse lemurs are sometimes found in secondary forests, their body mass and population densities lower in some such habitats, less food is available, fewer individuals enter torpor, and there are less appropriate sleeping sites. Thus, even while found in some secondary habitats, not all are proper habitats for mouse lemurs (Ganzhorn & Schmid 1998). Forest degradation also has the potential to exacerbate competition and upset the ecological balance between sympatric species of mouse lemur. In fact, degradation could conceivably alter habitats in such a way that a particular species of mouse lemur could speed the elimination of a sympatric species of mouse lemur (Schwab & Ganzhorn 2004).

Threat: Invasive Alien Species

Introduced predators, such as feral cats and dogs pose an added predation threat to M. ravelobensis (Mittermeier et al. 2006).

Threat: Harvesting (hunting/gathering)

M. murinus are sometimes captured as pets (Mittermeier et al. 2006).

LINKS TO MORE ABOUT CONSERVATION

CONSERVATION INFORMATION

• No current links for Microcebus
• Links for all species

CONSERVATION NEWS

• Is This the Smallest Primate on Earth?  (National Geographic News; June 27, 2003)
• News links for all species

Content last modified: September 26, 2008

Written by Kurt Gron.

Cite this page as:
Gron KJ. 2008 September 26. Primate Factsheets: Mouse lemur (Microcebus) Conservation. <http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/mouse_lemur/cons>. Accessed 2008 November 21.