Indri
Indri indri
Overview
The indri, also called the babakoto, is one of the largest living lemurs, with a head-body length of about 64–72 cm and a weight of between 6 and 9.5 kg. It has a black and white coat and maintains an upright posture when climbing or clinging. It is monogamous and lives in small family groups, moving through the canopy, and is herbivorous, feeding mainly on leaves but also seeds, fruits, and flowers.
The groups are quite vocal, communicating with other groups by singing, roaring and other vocalisations.
The Indri faces severe population decline primarily due to slash-and-burn agriculture and logging that fragments its rainforest habitat into increasingly isolated patches. Mining activities and charcoal production further degrade remaining forest areas, while the species' extremely slow reproductive rate—females give birth only every 2-3 years—makes population recovery exceptionally difficult. Cultural taboos that traditionally protected Indri are weakening in some regions, leading to occasional hunting pressure.
Habitat
Indri inhabit the primary and secondary rainforests of eastern Madagascar, preferring the upper canopy of montane and lowland tropical forests between 200-1,800 meters elevation. They require large territories of continuous forest cover due to their specialized diet of leaves from specific tree species and their territorial singing behavior.
Conservation measures underway
Other threatened species in INDRIIDAE
Threatened in Madagascar
Frequently asked questions
Why is Indri classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Indri live?
What are the main threats to Indri?
Get weekly conservation intelligence
One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.
Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.