Diademed Sifaka (Propithecus diadema)
Island Of Madagascar
Off The East Coast of Africa
Andasibe-Mantadia National Park
Wikipedia -
The diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema), or diademed simpona, is an endangered species of sifaka, one of the lemurs endemic to certain rainforests in eastern Madagascar. This species is one of the world's largest living lemurs, with a total adult length of approximately 105 centimetres (41 inches), half of which is tail. Having a long and silky coat. P. diadema is also known by the Malagasy names simpona, simpony and ankomba joby.
The diademed sifaka is one of the mostly widely distributed member of the Propithecus genus, although definitive mapping of its range has not been conducted. Occurrence is at altitudes of 200 to 800 metres (656 to 2,624 feet) throughout much of the eastern Madagascar lowland forests and altitudes 800 to 1,550 metres (2,624 to 5,084 feet); in portions of the Madagascar subhumid forests. As with all Indriidae, this species and its entire genus have evolved on the island of Madagascar independent of other mainland African species.
The diademed sifaka forms groups typically of two to ten individuals, which may include multiple male and female adults. Each troop defends an exclusive home territory of 25 to 50 hectares (62 to 125 acres) using perimeter scent territorial marking by both the males and females. A daily path distance relative to other members of its family in its patrolling and foraging, attaining a typical travel distance in excess of 1.6 kilometres (one mile) per day.
To accomplish this it consumes a diet high in energy content and diverse in plant content, each day consuming over 25 different vegetative species. This diurnal lemur further diversifies its diet by consuming not only fruits, but certain flowers, seeds and verdant leaves, in proportions that vary by season.
For a large lemur, the diademed sifaka is rather athletic, being capable of lateral aerial propulsion of up to 30 kilometers per hour, a result of muscular leg thrusting action pushing off from a vertical tree trunk. This species is arboreal, and only rarely are seen on the ground; moreover, it is a vertical clinger and lateral leaper.
The sole terrestrial predators of P. diadema are the fossa and Nile crocodile.
Maturity occurs after age two or three, with the male maturing somewhat more slowly than the female. Little is known of mating behaviour; however, it is believed that the female is receptive to mating only a few days per year. Being dominant, the female has the greatest input to mate selection. Copulation occurs in the summer (around December), and the expected number of births is one offspring per female per annum.
Diademed Sifaka (Propithecus diadema)
Island Of Madagascar
Off The East Coast of Africa
Andasibe-Mantadia National Park
Wikipedia -
The diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema), or diademed simpona, is an endangered species of sifaka, one of the lemurs endemic to certain rainforests in eastern Madagascar. This species is one of the world's largest living lemurs, with a total adult length of approximately 105 centimetres (41 inches), half of which is tail. Having a long and silky coat. P. diadema is also known by the Malagasy names simpona, simpony and ankomba joby.
The diademed sifaka is one of the mostly widely distributed member of the Propithecus genus, although definitive mapping of its range has not been conducted. Occurrence is at altitudes of 200 to 800 metres (656 to 2,624 feet) throughout much of the eastern Madagascar lowland forests and altitudes 800 to 1,550 metres (2,624 to 5,084 feet); in portions of the Madagascar subhumid forests. As with all Indriidae, this species and its entire genus have evolved on the island of Madagascar independent of other mainland African species.
The diademed sifaka forms groups typically of two to ten individuals, which may include multiple male and female adults. Each troop defends an exclusive home territory of 25 to 50 hectares (62 to 125 acres) using perimeter scent territorial marking by both the males and females. A daily path distance relative to other members of its family in its patrolling and foraging, attaining a typical travel distance in excess of 1.6 kilometres (one mile) per day.
To accomplish this it consumes a diet high in energy content and diverse in plant content, each day consuming over 25 different vegetative species. This diurnal lemur further diversifies its diet by consuming not only fruits, but certain flowers, seeds and verdant leaves, in proportions that vary by season.
For a large lemur, the diademed sifaka is rather athletic, being capable of lateral aerial propulsion of up to 30 kilometers per hour, a result of muscular leg thrusting action pushing off from a vertical tree trunk. This species is arboreal, and only rarely are seen on the ground; moreover, it is a vertical clinger and lateral leaper.
The sole terrestrial predators of P. diadema are the fossa and Nile crocodile.
Maturity occurs after age two or three, with the male maturing somewhat more slowly than the female. Little is known of mating behaviour; however, it is believed that the female is receptive to mating only a few days per year. Being dominant, the female has the greatest input to mate selection. Copulation occurs in the summer (around December), and the expected number of births is one offspring per female per annum.