Dwarf lemurs don’t agree on sleep
Fat-tailed species dozes during hibernation, but latest tests find different twist in relatives
By Susan Milius
Contrary to many adorable children’s stories, hibernation is so not sleeping. And most animals can’t do both at the same time.
So what’s with Madagascar’s dwarf lemurs? The fat-tailed dwarf lemur slows its metabolism into true hibernation, and stays there even when brain monitoring shows it’s also sleeping. But two lemur cousins, scientists have just learned, don’t multitask. Like other animals, they have to rev their metabolisms out of hibernation if they want a nap.