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Concept
Indri
Summary
The indri (ˈɪndri; Indri indri), also called the babakoto, is one of the largest living lemurs, with a head-body length of about and a weight of between . 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. Besides humans, it is the only mammal found that can use rhythm.
It is a diurnal tree-dweller related to the sifakas and, like all lemurs, it is native to Madagascar. It is revered by the Malagasy people and plays an important part in their myths and legends with various stories in existence accounting for its origin. The main threats faced by the indri are habitat destruction and fragmentation due to slash and burn agriculture, fuelwood gathering, and logging. It is also hunted despite taboos against this. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as "critically endangered".
The name "indri" most likely comes from a native Malagasy name for the animal, endrina. An oft-repeated, but incorrect story is that the name comes from indry ˈiɳɖʐj, meaning "there" or "there it is".
French naturalist Pierre Sonnerat, who first described the animal, supposedly heard a Malagasy point out the animal and took the word to be its name. It has been suggested that he may have heard the local name endrina which is used. Another Malagasy name for the animal is babakoto bəbəˈkut. Babakoto is most commonly translated as "ancestor" or "father", but several translations are possible. "Koto" is a Malagasy word for "little boy", and "baba" is a term for "father", so the word "babakoto" may be translated as "father of a little boy". The father-son dynamic of many of the babakoto origin myths helps to explain the Malagasy name.
Along with the diademed sifaka, the indri is the largest lemur still in existence; both have average weights of about 6.
Official source
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