Southern Lesser Galago

Identification

The Southern Lesser Galago is a small primate with a head-and-body length of 15 cm and a distinctive tail measuring 23 cm. Its most striking features are large, grey ears and striking orange eyes framed by diamond-shaped black eye-rings. The face is broad with a short muzzle and a whitish nose-stripe. The dorsal fur is greyish-brown, contrasting with white underparts that sometimes have a yellowish tinge. The flanks, inner limbs, hands, and feet display a warm yellowish coloration. The spatulate-tipped fingers and toes provide excellent grip for climbing, while the tail, darker than the body fur, is not particularly bushy.

Range & Habitat

This species inhabits mesic woodlands across southern Africa, occurring in Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, with possible presence in Rwanda and Burundi. The Mohol bushbaby naturally favors savanna, miombo, and mopane woodlands, as well as riverine gallery forests. Within these habitats, Acacia and Mopane trees are particularly important, providing shelter, breeding sites, and food sources. The species lives in small groups of two to seven individuals nestled in thorny branches. Interestingly, breeding populations have established themselves in the suburbs of Johannesburg and Pretoria, including both escaped pets and individuals that have naturally dispersed from warmer regions.

Behaviour & Diet

The Southern Lesser Galago is primarily nocturnal, with feeding peaks occurring soon after sunset and sporadically throughout the night. Its diet consists predominantly of insects and tree gum—a sticky exudate from Acacia trees that seeps from punctures made by insects. The bushbaby particularly favors gum from sweet thorn (Acacia karroo) and umbrella thorn (Acacia tortilis). Seasonal behavior shifts noticeably: during winter months, it forages across the ground moving between gum trees, while in the wet summer season, it travels primarily through the canopy and consumes a much higher proportion of invertebrates. A remarkable adaptation is its ability to obtain most water hygroscopically from its solid food, enabling independent survival without regular water sources.

Best Time & Places to See It

The Mohol bushbaby is strictly nocturnal, making nighttime observation essential. Night drives and spotlight surveys in suitable habitat offer the best opportunities for encounter. Key regions include the miombo and mopane woodlands of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia, as well as savanna regions throughout South Africa. The suburban woodlands around Johannesburg and Pretoria provide accessible locations where populations have become established. The wet summer season may yield higher invertebrate consumption and more arboreal activity, though the species remains active year-round.

Photography Tips

Photographing this elusive nocturnal primate requires specialized night equipment: a headlamp with a red filter to minimize disturbance, a camera capable of high ISO performance, and a fast lens (f/2.8 or wider). Spotlight surveys from vehicles are often most productive. Position yourself quietly near Acacia trees at dusk, as bushbabies emerge to feed. Their reflective orange eyes often betray their location in beam light. Keep movements slow and deliberate; these small primates are alert and can vanish quickly into thorny branches. Patience and multiple nights in suitable habitat significantly increase success rates for capturing images of this charismatic species.