Mammals
Diademed Sifaka
Propithecus diadema · also called diademed sifakas
Launching sideways between vertical tree trunks in powerful bounds, a diademed sifaka covers the rainforest canopy of eastern Madagascar with ease, then switches to a comical upright hop the moment it touches open ground.
Overview
The diademed sifaka, Propithecus diadema, is a Critically Endangered lemur found in rainforest patches across eastern Madagascar. Its large size, powerful vertical leaping, and distinctive bipedal ground hop make it one of the most visually striking members of the sifaka family.
Built for trees, awkward on the ground
The diademed sifaka’s body is shaped for climbing and leaping, with legs far better suited to pushing off a vertical trunk than walking on all fours, which is why it resorts to an upright, sideways hop whenever it has to cross open ground.
Status
Critically Endangered, with a sharply declining population confined to increasingly fragmented patches of eastern Madagascar’s rainforest, threatened by clearance and hunting.
Diademed Sifaka: common questions
Why is the diademed sifaka's ground movement so distinctive?
Lacking limbs built for walking on all fours, it crosses open ground in an upright, sideways hop, bounding on its powerful hind legs with its arms raised for balance, a gait unique to sifakas and related lemurs.
How does the diademed sifaka move through the trees?
It is a powerful vertical leaper, launching itself sideways between vertical tree trunks using its strong hind legs and covering several metres in a single bound.
How big is the diademed sifaka compared to other lemurs?
It is one of the largest living lemur species, considerably bigger than most other lemurs found in Madagascar today.
Why is the diademed sifaka so endangered?
Its eastern Madagascar rainforest habitat has been heavily cleared and fragmented, and it is also hunted in parts of its range, driving a sharp population decline.