• Avahi laniger
• Avahi occidentalis

The woolly lemurs, also known as avahis or woolly indris, are two species of strepsirrhine primates. Like all other lemurs, they live only on the island of Madagascar.

With a body size of 30 to 45 cm and a weight of 600 to 1200g, the woolly lemurs are the smallest indrids. Their fur is short and woolly and usually colored grey and white, with a long orange tail. Their head is round with a short muzzle and ears hidden in the fur.

The woolly lemurs live in tropical rain forests, spending most of their time in the leafy copse. Like many leafeaters they need long naps to digest their food. Woolly lemurs live together in groups of two to five animals, which often consist of parents and several generations of their offspring.

Like all indrids, the woolly lemurs are strictly vegetarian, predominantly eating leaves, but also buds and flowers.

Males and female mate monogamously. The gestation period is four to five months, with births usually coming in September. In the first few months, the young ride on the back of it mother. After approximately six months it is weaned, and can live independantly after a year, although it will typically live for another year in proximity to its mother. Overall life expectancy is not known.

Classification

• Family Indridae: woolly lemurs and allies
  • Genus Indri
  • Genus Avahi
    • Eastern Avahi , Avahi laniger
    • Western Avahi , Avahi occidentalis
  • Genus Propithecus: sifakas