Four Generations of Lemurs Have Refused to Hibernate, Until Now
Photo: David Haring, Duke Lemur Center
Scientists at the Duke Lemur Center in North Carolina say their fat-tailed dwarf lemurs went into hibernation for the first time ever in captivity last winter, mimicking the process their counterparts in the wild undergo regularly. By studying this process up close in our primate relative, the researchers also hope to better understand the human body and how it can be safely slowed down during times of need, such as during certain medical procedures.
Advertisement
Fat-tailed dwarf lemurs (
Cheirogaleus medius), like all other species of lemurs, are native to Madagascar. In the wild, they bulk up on food during the summer, then hibernate anywhere from three to seven months. This means their body temperature drops sharply, as does their metabolism (like other hibernators, though, they might have brief periods of activity and even sleep). That makes these primates, which are dist