This Haunting Call Belongs to Madagascar’s Largest Lemur

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Quick Take

• Indri lemurs are the largest lemur species in the world.

• They have a loud and haunting call that they use to communicate territory boundaries and social bonding.

• Indri lemurs are endemic to Madagascar and are rarely kept in captivity.

Rainforests are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Full of a wide variety of species, it seems like you can learn about a new species every day. One example is the indri, or Madagascar’s largest lemur species. This Instagram post by @lemurfund shows one of these lemurs and its somewhat creepy call. Read here to learn more about these lemurs and why they make these calls.

About the Indri

The indri is the world’s largest lemur species. They are endemic to Madagascar, meaning you can only find them there. As seen in the video, they inhabit rainforests in the country as they prefer cool and wet regions. This is because their diet consists mostly of leaves, along with some fruits and flowers. This diet results in some unique behaviors. Since leaves are low in energy, indri lemurs spend most of their time resting. When they do move, it’s in big leaps rather than constant movement. As the largest lemurs, Indris can reach about 24 to 28 inches in head-body length and weigh up to around 21 pounds. Compared to the common ring-tailed lemur, which grows to a little over a foot tall, this makes them giants.

Indri lemurs are, unfortunately, a critically endangered species according to the IUCN Red List. This is for a few reasons. The most pressing issue that affects them is deforestation due to logging. Since indri lemurs are endemic to Madagascar, this means that they don’t inhabit any other areas of the world. This limited space means that deforestation poses a great threat to them. They also don’t survive long in captivity, such as in zoos. Another reason for the population drop is hunting. With these factors combined, conservationists are doing their best to support the growth of the species’ population.

Indri Lemur Calls

Indri lemurs have a complex system to communicate, using loud calls over long distances. As seen in the video, calls are often drawn out with a rising and falling pitch. While the sound is up for interpretation, many describe it as haunting. The sound can travel more than a mile, even through dense foliage. Families will often call out together to create a true performance of sorts. Calls can mean a few things. The primary reason is territory signaling. It’s a great way to let other lemurs know where a family is and that the area belongs to them. Other reasons may be social, like bonding or mating. So while their calls may sound alarming, they are more for asserting themselves in the rainforest.

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