In the rainforest, along the coasts of Madagasgar, lives a species of lemurs with a thick woolly coat of black color, with whitish gray shades near the neck, chest, temples, hips and forearms. The hind legs are very long, the eyes are green, the ears are small and round, the nose is slightly pointed. We are talking about indri. They live on trees, have no tails (just a few centimeters), but their long limbs and great agility allow them to perform acrobatic jumps. The indri is a monogamous animal, it finds another companion only in the event of the death of the previous "boyfriend". It is a geophagus, that is, it feeds on the earth of the undergrowth, but in case of need it also supplements the food with flowers, seeds and fruit. Unfortunately, its survival is highly at risk, as a large part of the virgin forest in which it lives has been razed to the ground.

Many scientists are studying this particular animal in order to safeguard it, as any attempt to breed it in a controlled environment has failed. Thankfully, the Dragon Trees rainforest in which it lives has been made a protected area since 2015, but much needs to be done for them.

It is a legendary animal, the origin of the species comes from a Malagasy legend that tells this wonderful story: many years ago, two brothers lived together in the forest in Madagascar but, one day, one of the two, tired of that kind of life, he decided to leave to cultivate the land in a distant place, thus becoming the first human being. The other brother who remained in the forest became the first Indri and, saddened by loss and loneliness, he began to sing.

His song is truly unique, rich in many harmonic and different notes, which they manage to structure with a very precise and complex pattern. Fascinating melodies, articulated sounds to be able to express feelings or vocalizations to defend the territory to the sound of "singing competitions".

Let us hope that the sweet singer of Madagasgar continues to live peaceful and protected, in his habitat, for many long years. After all, he is our ancestor ... according to legend.