Found only in the Northwestern rainforests of Madagascar, Coquerel's sifaka (or Propithecus coquereli) is a Critically Endangered, medium-sized species of Lemur. Their body is covered in distinctly coloured fur that is white with dark red patches along the limbs, chest, and back, which may fade into grey fur along the tail. The face is black, with yellow eyes and a white stripe on the nose, and is framed by a short white ruff. No distinct sexual dimorphism occurs in this species, with both sexes looking alike, although females are sometimes reported to grow slightly larger than males. Coquerel's sifakas' body length ranges from 42cm to 54cm, with the tail adding additional 50cm to 60cm, and they weigh between 3.7kg and 4.3kg.
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Propithecus coquereli
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Animal Facts
Like all lemurs, sifakas have a toothcomb - tightly standing lower incisors that are used to comb through fur or assist feeding.
Polyandry in sifakas is thought to have evolved to reduce male infanticide by making it impossible to trace paternity in a group.
When in oestrus, female sifakas are only receptive for one day during the mating season.
Sifakas have a unique method of terrestrial locomotion: instead of walking on all fours like other lemurs, they hop on their hind legs and use their tail for balance.
Traditionally, Malagasy culture prohibits killing of sifakas due to a legend in which a sifaka leapt to save a boy falling from a tree when he was stung by bees that attacked him while collecting honey.
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