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Indri, (Indri indri), slender, long-limbed primate found in the forests of Madagascar. The largest of the lemurs, it is 60–70 cm (24–28 inches) long, with a rudimentary tail and large hands and feet. The round head has a pointed face and round, furry ears. Its fur is black, with white on the head, throat, forearms, and buttocks; the relative proportions of white and black vary geographically. Active during the day and thoroughly arboreal, the indri clings to trees and climbs in an upright position as it feeds on leaves, fruit, flowers, and other vegetation.
The indri is an endangered species found only in remote parts of northeastern Madagascar, where it is protected by law. It is related to sifakas and avahis; together they constitute the leaping lemurs, family Indridae.
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lemur: General features…cm (28 inches) for the indri (
Indri indri). The bushy tails of lemurs can be longer than their bodies; the indri, however, has only a stub of a tail. Except for the aye-aye, lemurs have woolly fur that is reddish, gray, brown, or black; some species are variously patterned with…
Endangered species, any species that is at risk of extinction because of a sudden rapid decrease in its population or a loss of its critical habitat. Previously, any species of plant or animal that was threatened with extinction could be called an endangered species. The need for separate definitions of…
Sifaka, (genus Propithecus), any of nine species of leaping arboreal lemurs found in coastal forests of Madagascar. Sifakas are about 1 metre (3.3 feet) long, roughly half the length being tail. They have a small head, large eyes, and large ears that in most species are partially hidden in their…