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Mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.) are one of the most diverse lineages of lemurs. They are difficult to study under field conditions, and there is a lack of basic behavioural data for many species. Recently, semi-captive conditions, i.e., when individuals are housed in temporary enclosures in proximity to their capture sites, have emerged as an alternative method to study a range of topics in challenging species. In this study, we use this setting to compare the activity budgets in three species of mouse lemur, namely M. ravelobensis, M. bongolavensis, and M. myoxinus, in northwest Madagascar. The objective of this work was to understand how semi-captivity might influence behaviour. We housed 24 wild mouse lemurs (with 12 male and 12 female adults) under semi-captive conditions for six consecutive nights in mixed-sex dyads with a similar body mass and collected scan sampling and behavioural states every 15 seconds from 18:00 to 21:00 We found no evidence of stereotypic behaviour, including pacing or over self-grooming. On average, mouse lemurs spent 83% of their time resting inside shelter boxes, 14% of their time moving, and 2% of their time self-grooming. None of these daily behaviours changed in frequency across the one-week study period. We found moderate differences between species, with M. myoxinus resting more and self-grooming less than either M. ravelobensis or M. bongolavensis. While recognizing the limitations of our study and of semi-captivity more generally, we highlight the potential comparative information to be gained from semi-captive experiments across species, conditions, and fields of study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the unique dietary observations of the Eastern lesser bamboo lemur, Hapalemur griseus, in the Analamazaotra Forest in Eastern Madagascar. The lemurs were observed consuming various plant species, including bamboo, mushrooms, and fruits. The study highlights the importance of fungi in the lemurs' diet and the potential role of Auricularia species in their food sources. The article also mentions the high level of biodiversity and endemism in Madagascar, particularly in relation to lemurs. [Extracted from the article]