Propithecus verreauxi

The Verslow's sifaka is one of the largest lemurs, with an adult body length of about 105 cm, half of which is the tail, and weighing 3-3.5 kg. The eyes turn amber in adulthood, and the body is very tall, adapted to jungle life. The Verslow's sifaka has long, thick, soft hair, mostly white, that extends down the back of the neck, and a dark brown crown. It has a dark grey or black face, with large, bright yellow eyes. The fur is sparser on the chest, belly and underarms, revealing the grey skin underneath, and males may also have a light reddish-brown area on the chest caused by glands in the throat. However, while this is the typical appearance, there is a lot of variation, with some individuals having a dark brown back, chest, upper arms, thighs and tail area, while others are almost completely white. Like other lemurs, the Verslow's sifaka has short arms and their movements are limited, but their hind legs are large and strong, providing them with the energy to leap f

The Verreaux's lemur is found in the tropical rainforests of eastern Madagascar, from the Tsiribihina River in western Madagascar south to the Andohahela region around the southwestern corner of the island. The Verreaux's lemur's habitat ranges from tropical dry lowland forests to montane woods at altitudes of 1,300 meters, lowlands, and moist tropical rainforests in the southeast.

The scientific name of Verreauxi's crowned lemur is Propithecus verreauxi, and there is no subspecies.

Verreauxi's crowned lemurs generally live in small groups, foraging in the morning and evening, and resting during the day. Their only way of moving on land is jumping.

The mating season for Versailles' lemurs is generally January and February, and males will compete for the same females. After a gestation period of 162 to 170 days, a new individual is born in July or August. At first, the baby lemur will stay with its mother, holding her belly, but at the age of one month, the baby lemur will usually move back and forth on the mother's back as the mother shuttles through the woods. This is a high-risk period for the baby lemurs because there are some big crocodiles living in the forests of Madagascar. The baby lemurs can become independent in just about six months, and sexual maturity takes three to five years. Female individuals spend a lot of time in the group they were born in, while male individuals will leave the group to establish an independent group of their own. Males will not stay in the same group permanently, but will travel between groups several times in their lives.

Over the past 30 years, the population of Verreaux's lemurs has declined as their habitat has been destroyed by humans seeking wood, firewood and charcoal. There are only 17 Verreaux's lemurs left in captivity worldwide. Hunting is also a threat to them. Although hunting Verreaux's lemurs is considered prohibited, many tribes in their range, as well as other tribes who have migrated to the area, hunt them.

The IUCN Red List lists them as Vulnerable (VU).

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