The indri, also called the babakoto, is a big old lemur, with a length (not including tail) of about 70cm and a weight of between 6 and 9.5 kg. That’s three Tofus! It has a black and white coat and maintains an upright posture when climbing or clinging, like the sifakas to which it is closely related. It is monogamous and lives in small family groups; different groups communicate with one another by singing and roaring when they meet.

The “roar” is also used as a warning signal for aerial predators such as hawks. The indri emit a “hoot” or “honk” to warn of terrestrial predators such as the fossa. Other vocal categories include the “grunt”, “kiss”, “wheeze”, and “hum”. The purpose of these is not well understood, at least by humans (the indri understand them).

The indri forms an important part of Malagasy folklore, and is believed to be the soul of a father who lost his son in the forest. Hunting does happen despite taboos against it, but the indri’s loss of habitat is the biggest contributor to its decline, like other lemurs.