Indri

The name "indri" most likely comes from a native Malagasy name for the animal, endrina. An oft-repeated, but incorrect story is that the name comes from indry , meaning "there" or "there it is". French naturalist Pierre Sonnerat, who first described the animal, supposedly heard a Malagasy point out the animal and took the word to be its name. Another Malagasy name for the animal is '' . Babakoto'' is most commonly translated as "ancestor" or "father", but several translations are possible. "Koto" is a Malagasy word for "little boy" and "Rakoto" is a common name, with "Koto" as its diminutive. As "baba" is a term for "father," the word "babakoto" may be translated as "father of a little boy" or "father of Rakoto." The father-son dynamic of many of the babakoto origin myths helps to explain the Malagasy name. == Physical characteristics ==

Along with the diademed sifaka, the indri is the largest lemur still in existence; both have average weights of about 6.5 kg. to Indri_indri_001.jpg Indri Andasibe.JPG|In Andasibe-Mantadia National Park Image:INDRI-1.JPG|Juvenile Image:Indri+bebe.JPG|Adult with juvenile == Behavior ==

The indri practices long-term monogamy, seeking a new partner only after the death of a mate. It lives in small groups consisting of the mated male and female and their maturing offspring. In the more fragmented forests of their range, the indri may live in larger groups with several generations. Habitat fragmentation limits the mobility and capacity of these large groups to break into smaller units. It is common for groups to move 300–700 m daily, with most distance travelled midsummer in search of fruit. Indris sleep in trees about 10–30 m above ground and typically sleep alone or in pairs. It is common for young female indris, occasionally adult females, to silently play wrestle anywhere from a few seconds up to 15 minutes. Members of a single group will urinate and defecate jointly at one of their many selected areas of defecation in their territory. Reproduction Indris reach sexual maturity between the ages of 7 and 9. Usually, a roaring sequence lasting for several seconds will precede the more characteristic vocalizations. All members of the group except the very young participate in this roar, but the song proper is dominated by the adult pair. They follow the roar with a long note sequence, characterized by notes of up to five seconds in duration. After this is a descending phrase sequence. The wails begin on a high note and become progressively lower-pitched. It is common for two or more indri to coordinate the timing of their descending notes to form a duet. Several other indri vocalizations have been identified. The "roar" is also used as a warning signal for aerial predators such as hawks. Diet and feeding The indri is herbivorous and primarily folivorous. It prefers young, tender leaves, but will also eat seeds, fruits, and flowers. Female indri seem to have greater preference for immature leaves than males do and spend more time foraging among them. A wide variety of plant species are consumed, with members of the laurel family featuring prominently in the diet. The indri consumes little nontree vegetation. To feed, the indri plucks off a leaf or other plant part with its teeth. It uses its hands to pull tree branches closer to its mouth. Reproductively mature females have priority access to food sources, therefore they forage higher in the trees than males. == Distribution ==

This lemur inhabits the lowland and montane forests along the eastern coast of Madagascar, from the Réserve Spéciale d'Anjanaharibe-Sud in the north to the Mangoro River in the south. They are absent from the Masoala Peninsula and the Marojejy National Park, even though both regions are connected to forests where indri do occur less than 40 km away. ==Relationship with humans==

Mythology '') Across Madagascar, the indri is revered and protected by fady (taboos). Countless variations are given on the legend of the indri's origins, but they all treat it as a sacred animal, not to be hunted or harmed. A legend tells of a man who went hunting in the forest and did not return. His absence worried his son, who went out looking for him. When the son also disappeared, the rest of the villagers ventured into the forest seeking the two, but discovered only two large lemurs sitting in the trees: the first indri. The boy and his father had transformed. In some versions, only the son transforms, and the wailing of the babakoto is analogous to the father's wailing for his lost son. Another human-like characteristic of the indri is its behavior in the sun. Like its sifaka relatives, the indri frequently engages in what has been described as sun-bathing or sun-worshipping. As the sun rises each morning, it will sit and face it from a tree branch with its legs crossed, back straight, hands low with palms facing out or resting on its knees, and eyes half-closed. Biologists are hesitant to call this behavior sun worship, as the term may be overly anthropomorphic. However, many Malagasy people do believe that the indri worships the sun. Conservation The first film of indri was obtained using tape lures, on an expedition forming the basis of David Attenborough's 1961 BBC series Zoo Quest to Madagascar. The indri is a critically endangered species. While population estimates are uncertain (1,000 – 10 000 individuals), the population appears to be rapidly shrinking and may diminish by 80% over the next three generations (~36 years). The indri is also widely hunted, despite the many origin myths and traditional taboos (fady) that hold it sacred. Cultural erosion and immigration are partly to blame for the breakdown of traditional beliefs. In some cases, Malagasy people who resent the protective fady find ways to circumvent them. People whose fady forbid them from eating the indri may still hunt the lemurs and sell their flesh, and those forbidden to kill the indri may still purchase and consume them. Indri meat is prized as a delicacy in some regions. Only one indri has lived over a year in captivity and none have bred successfully while captive. ==References==