This is the vanishing hairy eared dwarf lemur. It is very rare, and we do not know very much about it. There are an estimated 1,000 to 100 left. It was thought to be extinct, until it was "rediscovered" by a malagasy in 1966.
Here is my entry for the contest. I hope I didn't miss the judging.
The Hairy-Eared Dwarf Lemur - by Auntie Cat
For a long time, scientists thought that the Hairy-Eared Dwarf Lemur (HEDL) was extinct because nobody had seen one since 1875. But then, an HEDL was spotted in 1966 and again in 1989. Scientists estimate that there are fewer than 1,000 left.
HEDLs are among the smallest primates, weighing up to 3.5 ounces and growing only 1" long. They hibernate during the baseball season and live in large holes in trees. Nobody knows what they eat, but their sharp claws, tooth structure, and long tongue lead scientists to believe that they chow down on nectar and plant gums.
HEDLs are nocturnal and live only in lowland primary rain forests. There are two main reasons for their dwindling population: 1) their habitats have been destroyed, and 2) local people eat them.
If you think you've spotted an HEDL, look at its ears. If there are tufts of long hair, congratulations! If not, you've actually found a mouse lemur. Good try!
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Here is my entry for the contest. I hope I didn't miss the judging.
The Hairy-Eared Dwarf Lemur - by Auntie Cat
For a long time, scientists thought that the Hairy-Eared Dwarf Lemur (HEDL) was extinct because nobody had seen one since 1875. But then, an HEDL was spotted in 1966 and again in 1989. Scientists estimate that there are fewer than 1,000 left.
HEDLs are among the smallest primates, weighing up to 3.5 ounces and growing only 1" long. They hibernate during the baseball season and live in large holes in trees. Nobody knows what they eat, but their sharp claws, tooth structure, and long tongue lead scientists to believe that they chow down on nectar and plant gums.
HEDLs are nocturnal and live only in lowland primary rain forests. There are two main reasons for their dwindling population: 1) their habitats have been destroyed, and 2) local people eat them.
If you think you've spotted an HEDL, look at its ears. If there are tufts of long hair, congratulations! If not, you've actually found a mouse lemur. Good try!
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