Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur

Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur

Hapalemur griseus

Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic

LCNTVUVulnerableENCR Endemic
Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
at Mantadia National Park

In 3 days >90%

170 Verified sightings at Mantadia National Park From 2019 to 2026
208 In all 2 parks
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur

The eastern lesser bamboo lemur (Hapalemur griseus), also known as the gray bamboo lemur, the gray gentle lemur, and the Mahajanga lemur is a small lemur endemic to Madagascar, with three known subspecies. As its name suggests, the eastern lesser bamboo lemur feeds mainly on bamboo. The lemurs of the genus Hapalemur have more manual dexterity and hand–eye coordination than most lemurs. They are vertical climbers and jump from stalk to stalk in thick bamboo forests.

The eastern lesser bamboo lemur (Hapalemur griseus griseus), also known as the gray bamboo lemur, eastern gray bamboo lemur, or gray gentle lemur, was the original species described in 1795 by Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link. It is grey in colour, sometimes with a red patch on its head. It averages 284 mm (11 in) in length with a tail of 370 mm (14.6 in), and a mass of 0.8 kg. Based on data from more than one hundred transect surveys which took place between 2004 and 2009, the population is estimated to be declining. There is an estimated 818 individuals in Ranomafana National Park and the decline in numbers is due to hunting and habitat loss. It is listed by the Convention... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Mantadia National Park 🇲🇬 Madagascar
~80%
2 Ranomafana National Park 🇲🇬 Madagascar
~50%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Parken Zoo 🇸🇪 Sweden In captivity
2 Botanical and Zoological Garden of Tsimbazaza 🇲🇬 Madagascar In captivity
3 Lemurs Park 🇲🇬 Madagascar In captivity
4 Lemur Island 🇲🇬 Madagascar In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur in Mantadia National Park?

Very likely

About 80% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur sighting in Mantadia National Park on a given day, based on 170 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 4th most-seen of the 12 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur in Mantadia National Park?

June

In that month about 90% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur in Mantadia National Park on a given day, against about 50% in December, the lowest month.

What time of day is best to see an Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Mantadia National Park the best place to see an Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur?

Yes

Of the 2 parks where we can rate Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur sightings, Mantadia National Park has the highest daily chance: about 80%. Next come Ranomafana National Park (Madagascar, about 50%).

Which relatives of the Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur live in Mantadia National Park?

Same family: Lemuridae

The closest relatives of the Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur that you can see in Mantadia National Park (family Lemuridae, Typical Lemurs) are Common Brown Lemur (about 80%), Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (about 50%) and Red-bellied Lemur (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur is recorded against all the mammals logged in Mantadia National Park (170 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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