Virtual Non-Human Primate Zoo

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

  Order: Primates

    Suborder: Strepsirrhini

      Infraorder: Lemuriformes

        Superfamily:  Lemuroidea

          Family:  Indriidae

            Genus:  Propithecus

              Species:  candidus

 

COMMON NAME:  

• Silky Sifaka

• Silky Simpona

 

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION:  

  North-Eastern Madagascar

 

HABITAT:  Tropical moist forest

• commonly encountered between 700 and 1800 meters (2,300 - 5,900 feet) above sea level

 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

• height averages 1 meter (3.3 feet)

• weighs about about 6 kilos (14 pounds)

• commonly has a white creamy silky fur

• face can be black and pink, all pink, or all black

• eyes are typically reddish orange

• males are distinguished by a dark chest stain

 

DIET:  Frugivore

• fruit (75% of diet)

• leaves

• flowers

• tree bark

• soil

 

LOCOMOTION TYPE:  Arboreal Leaping

• vertical climbing

• leaping

 

SOCIAL GROUP ORGANIZATION:  

• live in groups of 2-9 individuals

• smaller groups may only have an adult pair with their offspring

• led by females

 

PARENTAL CARE:  

• mating occurs between November and January

• initially the infant will cling to the mother’s belly and later her back

• other members of within groups have been observed caring for infants, including carrying, nursing, grooming or playing with young

 

COMMUNICATION:

Vocal: two distinct sounds but up to 7 different calls exist:

1. “shee-fak” call to maintain contact with their group and is also the reason how they got their name

2. “zzuss” call to indicate the presence of a predator

 

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:  

• nicknamed ‘Angel of the Forest’ due to its creamy white fur

 

ENDANGERMENT STATUS:  Critically Endangered

ONE OF THE MOST CRITICALLY ENDANGERED MAMMALS ON THE PLANET

• today only present in a few protected areas

• current population consisting of fewer than 1,000 individuals; some sources estimate few than 250 adults

Threats:

• habitat loss

• hunting pressure

• mining activity

 

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

1. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/18360/0

2. http://www.arkive.org/silky-sifaka/propithecus-candidus/

3. http://www.greenfudge.org/2012/02/18/endangered-species-of-the-week-silky-sifaka/

4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Silky_Sifaka

5. http://www.simpona.org/

6. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/saving-the-silky-sifaka-9586309/?no-ist

7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World's_25_Most_Endangered_Primates

 

Information and photographs compiled by D. Lovatto and V. Zepeda.