The name sifaka comes from the noisy barking call they make during territorial confrontations.

Subspecies
Four.

Life span
Their lifespan in the wild is unknown, but they live for up to 18 years in captivity.

Statistics
Head and body length: 42-45cm, Tail length: 56-60cm, Weight: Female: 3.4kg, Males: 3.6kg.

Physical description
Verreaux's sifakas have a white body, with a brown crown. Some subspecies also have grey, black or rust-red areas on the thighs and forearms.

Distribution
They are restricted to Madagascar.

Habitat
Verreaux's sifaka inhabit evergreen forest, dry deciduous forest and spiny desert.

Diet
Leaves, fruit, bark and flowers are typical components of their diet.

Behaviour
They live in family groups of 2-12, which may be just one male and female or multimale-multifemale. They have a home range of 2.8.5ha, and although they are territorial, it is the food source they will defend rather than the territory's boundaries. Females are dominant over males.

They are diurnal and arboreal, and engage in sunbathing with outstretched arms and legs. Verreaux's sifaka move through the trees by clinging and leaping between vertical supports. They are capable of making remarkable leaps through the trees - distances of 9-10m are not uncommon. On the ground, they hop bipedally.

Reproduction
Females give birth to one infant after a gestation period of 130 days, between June and August. For the first 6-8 weeks, the infant clings to the mother's stomach, but for the following 19 weeks, it clings to her back.

Conservation status
This species is considered to be Vulnerable by the IUCN.