Coquerel's sifaka (Propithecus coquereli ) is a diurnal, medium-sized lemur of the sifaka genus Propithecus. It is native to northwest Madagascar. Coquerel's sifaka was once considered to be a subspecies of Verreaux's sifaka, but was eventually granted full species level, and is listed as endangered due to habitat loss and hunting. In popular culture, it is known for being the species of the title character in the children's TV show Zoboomafoo. The species was named after French entomologist Charles Coquerel.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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ZoochoryZoochory animals are those that can disperse plant seeds in several ways. Seeds can be transported on the outside of vertebrate animals (mostly mam...
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Island endemicIsland endemic animals are found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island. Animals or organisms that are indigenous to a place ar...
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JumpingJumping (saltation) can be distinguished from running, galloping, and other gaits where the entire body is temporarily airborne by the relatively l...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PolyandryPolygyny is a mating system in which one female lives and mates with multiple males but each male only mates with a single female.
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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starts withA Coquerel’s sifaka is a delicate leaf-eater from Madagascar’s dry northwestern forests. It is distinguished from other species of lemur by the way it moves about: they keep a distinct vertical posture while leaping through the trees by using just their strong back legs. When on the ground, they move just as gracefully, with an elegant sideways hopping on two legs. The Coquerel’s sifaka is a very beautiful lemur, which was once considered to be a subspecies of Verreaux’s sifaka. It has some very interesting behaviors and does look different to other sifakas in the same range.
Coquerel’s sifaka inhabit Madagascar’s north-west, to the east and north of the Betsiboka River. They live in forests of old growth and secondary growth with mixed evergreen and deciduous trees. They will travel through scrub habitat on their way between fragmented forest patches.
Coquerel’s sifakas are diurnal creatures and live in matriarchal groups that number 3 to 10 individuals. A female typically remains with her natal group, while a male is forced to disperse when he reaches maturity. Males will often switch groups, and they do not often remain with one group longer than 8 years. Females are usually dominant over males and can be aggressive. If a male disobeys, a female may lunge, bite or smack. Male submission is shown via posturing, including cowering, rolling the tail between the legs, baring their teeth in a grimace, and jumping out of the way of the female. Submission may also be expressed through vocalizations, mostly soft calls. Coquerel’s sifakas are primarily arboreal, sometimes descending from the canopy to travel between fragments of forest or to retrieve fallen food. Allo-grooming and play have an important role in the development and maintenance of intra-group hierarchies and social relationships.
The Coquerel’s sifaka is a herbivore, eating both mature and immature leaves, flowers, seeds, fruit and bark.
Coquerel’s sifakas are polyandrous, females mating with intra-group males or with males from visiting groups. The males have been seen fighting for access to females, but the winner is not always the one chosen to mate with. The breeding season is in January and February. Gestation is for about 162 days and usually one infant is born, and this is during the dry season from June to July. Infants cling to their mother's belly during travel until the age of about 1 month, when they move to her back. Weaning takes place during the wet season at about 5 to 6 months old, and the young are completely independent once they reach 6 months. Most of them attain adult size between 1 to 5 years, this being dependent on habitat conditions and availability of forage. Both males and females reach sexual maturity between 2 to 3.5 years old, though some females first give birth as late as 6 years old.
Hunting is a big threat to these endangered animals. Local traditions hold that hunting this species is taboo, but people immigrating into the region may not share the same views. Hunting even takes place within national parks. The forests in north-western Madagascar are gradually being burnt annually to provide new pasture for livestock, while trees are cut down for the making of charcoal, including in protected areas, which jeopardizes the future of the Coquerel’s sifaka.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total Coquerel’s sifaka population size is around 200,000 individuals. Currently this species is classified as Endangered (EN) and its numbers are decreasing today.
Coquerel’s sifakas benefit the environment, due to their diet, by aiding in seed dispersal, thus assisting plant life to increase. They are also prey for a number of native and introduced vertebrate predators.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...