Running through the dark jungles of Africa, the little beast of a being jumps from branch to branch, tree to tree.  He slows and climbs the tall tree that he has been looking for.  When he gets to the top he walks out on a twig and reveals himself in the moonlight; a cute, little galago, the small primate of the African continent.

Galagos are nocturnal animals that look like a cross between a chinchilla and a mouse; a long, furry, slightly bent tail, relatively large, powerful legs, and a short face with big ears and eyes complete its description.  Despite their bizarre appearance, galagos are members of the order of primates, the same order that contains humans and apes (Primate Info Net).  Although the most common name for the small critter is a galago, they are also frequently referred to as bushbabies and nagapies (little night monkeys in Afrikaans).

Galagos feast on fruit, tree gums, insects, and other small animals.  They have an amazing ability to jump up to 2 meters, or 6.6 feet, vertically, which allows the galago to reach higher limbs and access various food sources(Wikipedia).  Galagos live for about a decade in the wild, and are born with half closed eyes and the inability to move independently.

Galagos communicate by emitting loud cries that are said to be the origin of the name bushbaby.  They mark their territory through urination, and when the night recedes and dawn approaches, galagos utter a gathering cry that summons the members of the colony to the the sleeping area of either leaves, branches, or a hole in a tree.  Jackals, snakes, mongooses, and even other primates prey on bush babies.

The galago hears the loud gathering call.  He takes one last look at the forest around him and scurries back into the dense, dark vegetation, with a rising sun saluting his departure.  The galago will reappear the next evening, but sighting him will be immensely difficult.  The one quick view was a lucky insight into the life of the evasive, furry primate, the galago.