The Indri
The very identity of Madagascar lies within its lemur diversity! Lemurs are often referred to as the ‘Jewels of Madagascar’ as they are found nowhere else on earth apart from this remote island. Being part of the superfamily Lemuroidea, there are over a hundred species of lemur concentrated on different parts of the Malagasy landmass. Each species of lemur has had a different evolutionary path making each kind very distinct. From these, the largest existing lemur species is the Indri. The Indri often reaches lengths of around 70 cm and weighs in between 6 and 9.5 kg, making them one heavy primate! The name ‘Indri’ comes from a native Malagsy word which means ‘there’ and this was solidified by the French naturalist Pierre Sonnerat. Indris can be identified on trees with their distinct black and white coats. Like most lemur species, they are arboreal and spend most of their time moving through the rainforest canopy. They are vertical climbers/leapers and must keep an upright posture to