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Coquerel's Sifaka (Propithecus coquereli) Fact Sheet: Summary

Coquerel's Sifaka (Propithecus coquereli) Fact Sheet

a sifaka in a tree

Coquerel's Sifaka (Propithecus coquereli)

Image credit: © F. Vassen from Flickr. Some rights reserved.

 

Taxonomy Physical Characteristics

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Primates

Suborder: Strepsirrhini

Family: Indriidae

Genus: Propithecus

Species: Propithecus coquereli - Coquerel's sifaka (Grandidier, 1867)

Body Weight: 3.7-4.3 kg (8.2-9.5 lb)

Head and Body Length: 42-50 cm (1.4-2 ft)

Tail Length: 50-60 cm (2 ft)

Pelage: White hair covers much of the body. Chestnut-brown or maroon patches on the chest and parts of the limbs. Ears and face hairless and black. Small, white fur spot near ridge of the nose.
Distribution & Status Behavior & Ecology

Range: Northwestern Madagascar; north and east of the Betsiboka River. Fragmented populations separated by wide-open landscapes.

Habitat: Found in tropical-dry and lowland forests.

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered (2018 assessment)

CITES Status: Appendix I

Populations in the Wild: No comprehensive global estimate. Largest remaining population in Ankarafantsika National Park estimated to be approximately 47,000  individuals.

Locomotion: Leap through trees from one vertical trunk to another. Hop and bound bipedally along the ground.

Activity Cycle: Diurnal (active in daylight). Bask in the sun in early morning before initiating feeding activity. Sleep in trees at night. 

Social Groups: Live in mixed-gender groups; individuals do not represent a distinct family unit. 

Diet: Folivores; primarily consume leaves. Also eat flowers, fruit, bark, and dead wood. Occasionally consume insects. 

Predators: Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox). Infants may fall prey to snakes and raptors.
Reproduction & Development Species Highlights

Sexual Maturity: c. 2.5 years, both males and females. Reproductive throughout adulthood. 

Gestation: c. 162 days (5 months)

Litter Size: 1

Birth Weight: 85-115 g (3-4 oz)

Age at Weaning: Beginning c. 2 months. Complete by c. 6 months.

Typical Life Expectancy:
Wild populations: typical life expectancy not reported
Managed care: median life expectancy of about 11 to 12 years for males; unknown for females

Feature Facts

  • Striking, chestnut-brown patches on the chest and limbs make this sifaka easily recognizable
  • Long limbs used to leap through the canopy and hop along the ground
  • Live in isolated pockets of dry forest habitat in northwestern Madagascar
  • Little known about its numbers in the wild
  • Habitat loss and hunting have driven broad population declines in the past 5 decades.

About This Fact Sheet

© 2014-2020 San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. IUCN Status updated Oct 2020.

How to cite: Coquerel's Sifaka (Propithecus coquereli) Fact Sheet. c2014-2020. San Diego (CA): San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance; [accessed YYYY Mmm dd]. http://ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/factsheets/ coquerelssifaka.
(note: replace YYYY Mmm dd with date accessed, e.g., 2014 Sep 15)

Disclaimer: Although San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance makes every attempt to provide accurate information, some of the facts provided may become outdated or replaced by new research findings. Questions and comments may be addressed to library@sdzwa.org.

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank David Haring for providing expert content review of this fact sheet.

David began his work with lemurs in the early 1980s, providing care for several species at Duke Lemur Center (DLC). He has been documenting lemur life for over 30 years. At the time of this writing, Mr. Haring serves as the staff photographer for DLC and is the AZA SSP Coordinator and Studbook Keeper for Coquerel's sifaka.

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