The galagos, the small and friendly South African primates recognized for their enormous round eyes and pointed ears, are currently threatened in their own habitat.
These creatures suffer from the advance of deforestation, roadkill, and habitat loss, issues that push their populations towards a worrying population decline.
Due to this, in January 2026 the organization Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) reclassified the thick-tailed galago as threatened.
Thus, the species moved from the category of “least concern” to “near threatened”, a warning sign for researchers.
The first to detect the worrying trend were scientists Frank Cuozzo and Michelle Sauther during their travels in South Africa since 2012.
Year after year, they found more and more dead galagos, run over on roads or attacked by dogs.
“Human threats are everywhere, for all species,” said Cuozzo, a scientist at the Lajuma Research Center.
And he stated: “We have been able to document that the threats faced by galagos are increasing.”
The habitat of the galagos, under pressure
The thick-tailed galagos spend most of their lives in trees and feed on acacia gum. However, agricultural expansion and urbanization destroy the forests they inhabit.
Based on satellite images, researchers calculated that their habitats are shrinking by about 3.6% per decade. This rate exceeds the average loss of natural areas in the region.
An example illustrates the severity: about 200 kilometers north of Pretoria, the galagos disappeared after the construction of a dam that dried up their favorite forest.
The threatened galagos also face other documented pressures. Among the most severe, researchers identified:
- The illegal pet trade
- Roadkill
- Attacks by domestic dogs
- Habitat fragmentation by human infrastructure
Tree bridges, a possible solution for threatened galagos
To reduce roadkill, Cuozzo and Sauther proposed installing tree bridges: rope walkways that allow animals to cross roads without the risk of being hit.
These structures have been used worldwide, including in the Amazon, to protect species whose territory has been fragmented by linear infrastructure like roads.
WWF described tree bridges as a “key mitigation measure” for wildlife such as porcupines, sloths, and monkeys. According to the organization, “a single road can isolate an animal from shelters, food resources, and potential mates.”
Researchers also urged local residents not to feed the primates or leave pet food outdoors at night. This practice attracts galagos to residential areas, where they are at greater risk.
However, funding is a real obstacle. Researchers noted that there is “so little money” available for conservation that even building a simple tree bridge can take time.
“The more we know about a species, the better we can invest that money really effectively,” they concluded. If deforestation is not halted, the threatened galagos could move even closer to extinction.
