Propithecus perrieri
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
Perrier's sifaka (Propithecus perrieri) is a species of lemur endemic to fragmented deciduous dry forests in northern Madagascar. As the smallest of the eastern sifakas of the P. diadema species group, Perrier's sifaka has a head-body length of 85–92 centimeters (33–36 in) and a 42–46 cm (17–18 in) tail, with body weights ranging between 4.3 and 5.0 kg (9.5 and 11.0 lb). With the exception of a rosy-brown tint on the ventral coat, the pelage is wholly black. The eyes are brown and forward-facing. Perrier's sifaka processes its voluminous folivorous diet with an enlarged cecum and two large intestines. For most of the 20th century, it was considered to be a subspecies of the diademed sifaka. It was controversially elevated to specific status on account of mitochondrial evidence published in the early 2000s.
Perrier's sifaka lives in small, matriarchal groups of two to six individuals. It is found at a high population density compared to other eastern sifakas due to the reduced sizes of its home ranges. Populations are heavily concentrated in areas with sandstone soil. Females are seasonal breeders, being receptive to mating for only a short time each year. The species suffers from high rates of infant mortality due to mother Perrier's sifakas' "bet-hedging" strategies, whereby they prioritize their own survival over their offsprings'. Dietary patterns change based on the season, with frugivory being practiced more frequently during the wet season and folivory being more common in the dry season.
The IUCN Red List classifies Perrier's sifaka as a critically-endangered species, and it is listed under CITES Appendix I. The estimated wild population is less than 500 individuals. It is primarily threatened by habitat destruction due to bush fires created for shifting agriculture, and deforestation for the production of charcoal and for the creation of mines. Poaching is also a threat, despite the presence of traditional taboos known as fady that proscribe hunting or consuming the species. Perrier's sifaka frequently descends to the ground to access drinking water from riverbeds, which makes it vulnerable to hunting during the dry season. Perrier's sifaka was previously much more widely distributed prior to the mid-Holocene, however a combination of climatic and anthropogenic factors resulted in its current distribution. It has never been kept in captivity.
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ankarana National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Perrier’s Sifaka sighting in Ankarana National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 9th most-seen of the 9 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Perrier’s Sifaka in Ankarana National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August and October, the lowest months. That is one of Ankarana National Park's driest months, with about 20 mm of rain against 460 mm in January. March has too few records to rate.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Perrier’s Sifaka sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Only Ankarana National Park, in our data
Ankarana National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Perrier’s Sifaka sightings: about 30% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same order: Primates
The closest relatives of the Perrier’s Sifaka that you can see in Ankarana National Park (order Primates) are Ankarana Sportive Lemur (about 80%), Crowned Lemur (about 70%) and Tavaratra Mouse Lemur (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Perrier’s Sifaka is recorded against all the mammals logged in Ankarana National Park (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
