Animals On Earth: India, Asia, China, Hawaii, And Madagascar

Verreaux's Sifaka

Verreaux's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi), or the white sifaka, is a medium-sized primate in one of the lemur families, the Indriidae.

On average, from the crown of their head to their toes, Verreaux's sifakas measure about 18 in (45 cm) long. Their tail is about the same length as the whole of their body. The length of their tail facilitates their incredible precision and balance as they leap from tree to tree.

Ears, bottoms of the hands and feet are also black. Their large eyes are yellow. Their long tail is used for balance when leaping from tree to tree. Sifaka have pseudo-opposable thumbs and an exceptionally long first toe that provides a strong grip on vertical tree trunks.

These primates spend most of their time in the trees, but don't get around in the same way that other lemurs do. Sifakas remain upright, and they leap quickly from tree to tree by jumping with their powerful hind legs. In this way, they clear distances of over 30 feet.

Verreaux's sifaka are lemurs living in western Madagascar. They eat mainly leaves and some fruit, flowers, seeds, and vines.

Hawks and eagles will prey on the young of any lemur species, including Coquerel's sifaka. The fossa, a weasel-like ground predator native to Madagascar, will take lemurs that it can snatch out of the trees (which is why lemurs are wise to sleep high in the treetops).