Estivating Primates
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Estivating Primates
Today’s special animal friend is the Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemur, Cheirogaleus medius. Like all lemurs, this small, arboreal primate is native to Madagascar. It is famous for being the only primate that is known to hibernate. Or maybe it (a)estivates. Scientists disagree. Some say that because the animal is largely inert in winter, it is hibernating. On the other hand, the winter weather of Madagascar is dry, rather than cold. Ah, philosophy. Anyway, it is very cute.
It has a head-and-body length of about 8 inches, with a tail that is slightly longer, and weighs up to 10 oz. Its fur is gray-brown on the back and lighter underneath. This coloring makes it very inconspicuous by day or night, protecting it from predators such as barn owls. Active at night, they eat mostly fruit and flower nectar, along with some insects and small vertebrates.
On to hibernation, which occurred to me as I sat typing with my feet and hands freezing, even though it’s not that cold in here. After spending the autumn gorging on fruit and flowers, adding about 40% of their base body weight to their tails, they retreat in March to tree hollows and go into torpor for up to seven months. During this time, their heart rate, breathing, and metabolism decrease drastically.
Unlike animals that hibernate in cold weather, the lemurs do not need to reduce their body temperature to conserve energy. Ambient temperatures average 68-80 degrees during the Madagascar winter. The lemurs have been observed in REM sleep during periods of warmer temperatures.
They form permanent pair bonds and breed in the fall. Two to three babies is most common. During the roughly two months between birth and hibernation, both parents, and sometimes older siblings, engage in intensive child care. They feed, groom, climb, teach, play, and socialize on an accelerated schedule, until the whole family goes to bed for months. I think that would be okay. See you in May.
Just kidding, sigh. Fat-tailed dwarf lemurs are rated Vulnerable by IUCN. Habitat destruction is the main threat. They are more resilient than some other species because they can live in a variety of forest types, including second growth and desert gallery forests.
On our perennial topic of housing, here's some blither (but I repeat myself) from the Charlotte Observer:
The Charlotte region’s residential real estate market may lean in favor of buyers now, but ultimately affordability is a hindrance. Mortgage rates are slightly lower, inventory has marginally risen and price reductions have rocketed. But home sales are still down across the Charlotte area, according to the Canopy Realtor Association’s September housing market report.
Read more at: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article294367099.html#storylink=cpy
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I don't know whether I'm laughing harder at "price reductions have rocketed" or at the larger thesis that the market is good for buyers, but people aren't buying.
Are we heading toward one of those Totally Unexpected (Drink!) situations where supply exceeds demand, and therefore, prices fall? We'll just have to see. Meanwhile, I'll sit here in the 'burbs with my $786/mo payment - thank you, Federal Reserve, for believing in MMT - and aestivate.
Those who follow the story of my church may be interested in a new episode. A week ago - that is, last Tuesday, the 15th, I sent a U.S. Mail letter to the new Bishop, thanking him for writing a nice "Letter to the Faithful", explaining some of our miseries, and asking him to come to the parish, that it would not be too much trouble, no matter what the front office says. ("As if they would do anything," scoffed the Liturgy Committee chairwoman, Elaine from my Weight Watchers meeting. "The Welcome Committee and the Hispanic Volunteers and Jim ('my fixer') would handle it.")
Today, only a week later, I received an email from the Bishop (I had including my email address with my U.S. Mail address), to wit:
Dear Cynthia,
Thank you so much for your letter. I am sorry for the way you are feeling at [Parish X]. I will do my best to look into the situation and hope to be able to visit the parish soon. Know of my prayers for you.
This may not seem like much, but to get a reply in only 3 business days from when he would have received my letter, and a personal note, is really something, especially since - hurricane and all - he has a lot going on. I replied that it means the world to me to know there's someone Out There who will respond.