Oh so small!
The word ‘pygmy’ (pronounced ‘pig-mee’)is used to describe animals and plants that are smaller than the typical kinds. Here are some fascinating and adorable pygmy species from all over the globe.
With a head about the size of a thumb, the pygmy marmoset is the smallest monkey in the world. Among all primates, only the mouse lemur is smaller. Found in the rain forests of the Amazon Basin in South America, it uses its sharp nails to cling to the branches of trees and feeds on tree gum. It also makes a snack of insects, fruit and nectar.
There are actually many species of pygmy chameleons, such as the Kenyan pygmy chameleon, Marshall’s pygmy chameleon, and the spectral pygmy chameleon. They make exotic pets. The pygmy leaf chameleon is one of the smallest growing to a length of eight or nine cm.
There is also a pygmy version of the biggest land animal, the elephant. The Borneo pygmy elephant is a subspecies of the Asian elephant and is found in the tropical rainforest habitats in north Borneo, Indonesia and Malaysia. It is estimated that there are fewer than 2,000 left.
The pygmy anteater, also called the silky anteater is found in southern Mexico, Central and South America. They are the smallest anteaters in the world.