Lemurs in Madagascar I Encountered - Home of Toni Kingston

Indri (Indri indri)

Once upon a time, there were extinct lemurs as big as gorillas. Today, the Indri is the largest extant lemur species. But it is critically endangered, too.

This is when this ginormous Indri’s jumping from trees to trees in front of me. Even close enough for me to see the spider web he got on his face during the jump!
The largest lemur (Indri) leaping right in my face. Not something I’d encounter every day.
Jungle gym trainer checking my biceps and deltoid. ? Ok seriously, gaining trust from the largest lemur on earth and having him come such close is a real privilege. I hope our next generations will still be able to encounter these critically endangered beauties.

Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta)

This species is not just the icon of all lemurs but also the national animal of Madagascar.

White sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi)

Milne-Edwards’ sifaka (Propithecus edwardsi)

Black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata)

I don’t know how much more luck I could have asked for to be able not only to encounter but got so close to these critically endangered beauties. It’s actually super close as the shot’s by a fisheye lens.

The front one’s looking at my hair while the one behind’s yelling at me. What an encounter with the Black-and-white ruffed lemurs in the rainforest of Madagascar.

In very few habitats on earth where the animals would still have so much trust towards humans nowadays. They deserve conservation.

Red ruffed lemur (Varecia rubra)

Greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus)

Eastern lesser bamboo lemur (Hapalemur griseus)

Black lemur (Eulemur macaco)

Crowned lemur (Eulemur coronatus)

Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis)

The Aye-aye is the most evil animal in the eyes of local people. They believe that it means death when their elongated middle finger points at someone. The Aye-aye would scare the poop out of most (even local) people if they encounter one at night in the woods. But for me, I’d been feeling so much luck and blessing for the encounter with this most bizarre animal.

The title of “Devil of Madagascar” is the reason why most of the Aye-ayes got killed by local people. Comparing to poaching or game hunting, this kind of killing is even more ridiculous. I’ve told every Malagasy people I met about this wrong belief and most of them understood and agreed not to kill them anymore.