Eastern lesser bamboo lemur (Hapalemur griseus)

Species information

Images

Threats

The eastern lesser bamboo lemur, like many other lemurs, is threatened by ongoing habitat loss (1) (3) (8), although paradoxically the species may actually have benefitted from forest clearance in some areas, as older cleared areas often contain more bamboo than the original forest (3) (6). However, the eastern lesser bamboo lemur is also one of the most heavily hunted lemurs, often being kept as a pet, and these combined threats have led to an ongoing population decline (1) (3) (5).

Conservation

As well as strict control on international trade in the species under its listing on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) (4), the eastern lesser bamboo lemur also occurs in a number of protected areas within Madagascar, including Ranomafana National Park, Baie de Baly National Park, Mantadia National Park, and Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve (1) (5) (8) (12). However, there is ongoing debate about the species’ exact distribution and, in particular, further research is needed on the recently described subspecies H. g. gilberti before its distribution and conservation status are fully known (1).