Virtual Non-Human Primate Zoo

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

  Order: Primates

    Suborder: Strepsirrhini

      Infraorder: Lemuriformes

        Superfamily:  Lemuroidea

          Family:  Indriidae

            Genus:  Propithecus

              Species:  coquereli

 

COMMON NAME:  Coquerel's Sifaka

 

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION:  Madagascar

 

HABITAT:

• dry deciduous forest

• semi-evergreen forest

• coastal mangroves

 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

• black, brown and white fur

• short arms

• bright yellow eyes

• gular scent-marking gland (male) on the throat

 

DIET:  Herbivore

• leaves

• seeds

• flowers

• fruits

• bark

 

LOCOMOTION TYPE:  Arboreal Leaping

• vertical climbing

• leaping

 

SOCIAL GROUP ORGANIZATION:  

• matriarchal groups of 3 to 10 individuals

• polyandrous mating

• single parent family

 

PARENTAL CARE:  

• female parental care

• males give  limited support to females

 

COMMUNICATION:

Visual:  rapid backward jerking of the head

Vocal:

• low bubbling sounds

• clicking sounds similar to hiccups

• 'shi-fak' call

• soft grunts and growls

• long loud wails

 

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:

• they can propel themselves 30 feet or more in a single leap

• the Coquerel’s Sifaka in the children's program Zaboomafoo is named Jovian and is from the Duke Lemur Center

 

ENDANGERMENT STATUS:  Endangered

Threats:

• habitat loss

• hunting pressure

 

To learn more about Propithecus coquereli, visit the following websites:

1. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Propithecus_coquereli/

2. http://eol.org/pages/2925752/details

3. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/18355/0

4. http://www.arkive.org/coquerels-sifaka/propithecus-coquereli/

 

Information and photographs compiled by L. Lopez and G. Villegas.