Indri is a type of lemur found in the Madagascar region and is one of the world?s largest living lemurs. It is a daytime tree resident associated with Sifaka. Respected by the people of Madagascar, there are various stories that explain its origins and play an important role in their myths and legends.
Highlights
This lemurs weigh around 9kgs. Their colour is black with white fur. They maintain an upright position when grappling or climbing and live in groups of families. They are herbivores. They mainly eat seeds, fruits and flowers. It is the only mammal other than humans to sing. Indri is monogamous. Monogamy is living with one partner for the rest of one?s life. They find new partners only after their current partner dies. At the age of nine Indris mature and they carry single babies. Infants are usually born during the months of May or June.
Indri is an important part of the story of Madagascar. The people of Madagascar are Austronesian people who live on the island of Madagascar. Austronesians are large-scale immigrants. They are basically from Taiwan. They lived around 3000 BC in Taiwan. They later migrated across the Indo-Pacific. In Malagasy, Indri is called Babakoto. Baba stands for ancestor or father in Malagasy, and koto stands for little boy.
Rhythmic Singing
In the month of October, 2021, scientists discovered that Indri was singing a special rhythmic song. Until now, only humans and birds sang such songs. Indri is the only lemur that communicates through song and they sing to find their families.
Feeding Habits
Indris are herbivorous and mainly eat leaves. It prefers young, soft leaves, but also eats seeds, flowers and fruits. Female Indris seem to prefer immature leaves to males and spend more time looking for food between them. Members of the Laurel family play an important role in the diet, consuming a wide variety of plant species. Indri consumes very little non-tree vegetation. Indris pluck leaves and other parts of the plant with their teeth to feed upon them. They use their hands to bring the branches closer to your mouth. Reproductive women have priority access to food sources, so they move to higher location on the trees as compared to the males.
Conservation and Threats
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies Indri as an endangered species. Indri’s population is declining rapidly. Their numbers could decline by 80% over the next 40 years (estimated in 2021). So far, no measures have been taken to protect Indri. Indris were not kept in captivity.
The biggest threat to Indri is habitat fragmentation and habitat destruction. Indri habitat fragmentation limits their mobility. They cover about 1 kilogram a day. Their habitat is destroyed by shifting cultivation, logging, agricultural activities and firewood.
Habitat of Indris
The indris inhabits the lowlands and mountain forests along the east coast of Madagascar.
