Sifakas

Sifakas are a group of primates in the genus Propithecus, within the family Indriidae, endemic to Madagascar. They are renowned for vertical clinging and leaping locomotion, moving through the forest by pushing off from tree trunks and leaping between branches. The common name sifaka applies to several species, including Verreaux's sifaka, Coquerel's sifaka, Diademed sifaka, and the golden-crowned sifaka.

Sifakas inhabit a variety of Madagascan forests, from dry deciduous to humid rainforest, and some gallery forests. Widespread habitat loss and fragmentation threaten many populations, leading to declines in distribution and numbers.

Depending on species, sifakas weigh roughly 3-6 kg for adults and have long tails and robust hind limbs adapted for vertical clinging and leaps. Fur color ranges from all white or pale gray to patterned combinations with dark faces and crowns, such as the white-and-black facial mask of some diademed sifakas or the cream-bodied, crown-tinged forms seen in golden-crowned sifakas.

Most sifakas are diurnal and live in small to medium-sized groups. They rely on the forest canopy and travel by vertical clinging and horizontal leaping. Diet consists mainly of leaves, fruit, seeds and flowers; some species eat significant amounts of mature foliar matter and young shoots.

Females typically give birth to a single infant after a several-month gestation, with annual or biennial breeding in many species. Sifakas reach maturity after 1–2 years and may live two decades in the wild, longer in captivity.

Many sifaka species are classified as threatened on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss, hunting, and fragmentation. Conservation priorities include protecting forests, creating protected areas, supporting sustainable land use, and community-based management and ecotourism.