The Moonlight Acrobat
You don’t find a Lesser Bushbaby—you feel it. A soft rustle in the trees. A blur of movement overhead. Two glowing eyes reflecting your torchlight. Then gone again. In a heartbeat.
Also called the South African Galago, the Lesser Bushbaby is one of the most secretive—and strangely magical—creatures in the bush. It’s nocturnal, arboreal, and insanely agile, leaping up to 2 metres between branches with pinpoint accuracy.
And with those giant, forward-facing eyes and bat-like ears, it doesn’t miss much.
Designed for Night Ops
Bushbabies are made for life in the dark. They:
- Have exceptional night vision thanks to oversized pupils and a reflective eye layer
- Rotate their huge ears independently to locate insects in pitch black
- Use strong hind legs to jump multiple times their body length
- Groom using a special toothcomb in their lower jaw
- Communicate in chirps, clicks, and eerie child-like cries (hence the name bushbaby)
Their diet includes insects, tree gum, fruit, and small vertebrates—making them insect managers and ecological snackers.
What They Mean for Landowners
Lesser Bushbabies are:
- Protected in South Africa
- Indicators of low predator pressure and healthy trees
- Not a threat to livestock, crops, or game
- A rare treat on night drives or trail cams
If you’ve got them on your property, you’ve got a functioning nocturnal food chain and healthy vegetation to support it.
Soft Creatures, Serious Role
Though often overlooked in the big-picture predator-prey dynamics, bushbabies:
- Help control insect populations
- Act as prey for owls, genets, and snakes
- Add value to night drives and biodiversity tracking
Seeing one? It’s not just a sighting—it’s a moment.
