Sifakas are lemurs. Local Malagasy people named them for the unique call they send echoing through Madagascar's forests, which sounds like shif-auk.

These primates spend most of their time in the trees, but don't get around in the same way that other lemurs do. Sifakas remain upright, and they leap quickly from tree to tree by jumping with their powerful hind legs. In this way, they clear distances of over 30 feet. They can also move quickly on the ground, which they do using a two-legged sideways hop.

Sifakas are beautifully colored. They may have different colored limbs and bodies, and often their heads are multicolored with patches of black, white, gray, or golden-colored fur. These vegetarian primates eat leaves, flowers,