The world's smallest primate - the Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemur - is now critically endangered and could become extinct within the next 10 years, according to a new IUCN assessment of the Madame Berthe Mouse Lemur.
They are an animal that we could see becoming extinct in our lifetime.
The reason that these cute animals are threatened with extinction is because of habitat loss. Madame Berthe Mouse Lemurs are so rare today, that they are only found within one habitat in the world. That habitat is a forest on the island of Madagascar called the Kirindy Forest.
The reason this species is now at risk of extinction in the near future, is due to their forest home being destroyed. Deforestation is a major reason why the Madame Berthe Mouse Lemur is now at risk of extinction today. The destruction of their forest home is ''not under control''.
There are two main reasons why their forest is being destroyed:
1) For agriculture reasons (clearing the forest through setting it on fire, what is known as the slash and burn technique)
2) Trees being harvested for charcoal and illegal logging
Both of these things could end up resulting in the Madame Berth Mouse Lemur becoming extinct within the next decade. We still have time to save these animals, but saving them will require saving their rainforest home.
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