Diademed sifaka, Andasibe, Madagascar
One of the largest and most colorful lemurs. Locally known as "simpona". The meaning of simpona is location dependent. In the east it would refer to the Diademed sifaka. In the north, it refers to one of the rarest mammals on the planet, the Silky Sifaka. There, "simpona" would not be calmly spoken. It would be screamed and everybody hearing it would get shivers and be struck with panic.
We once had the extraordinary privilege of hearing the word "simpona" in the north:
The diademed sifaka, or diademed simpona, is an endangered species of sifaka, one of the lemurs endemic to certain rainforests in eastern Madagascar. This species is one of the world's largest living lemurs, with a total adult length of approximately 105 centimetres, half of which is tail. Russell Mittermeier, one of the contemporary authorities on lemurs, describes the diademed sifaka as "one of the most colorful and attractive of all the lemurs", having a long and silky coat. Like all other prosimians,.. more
