O indri (Indri indri) é o maior lémur que se pode encontrar hoje em dia em Madagáscar, a ilha de onde são endémicos estes primatas. O nome Indri procede do malgaxe e significa na realidade "Olhe!", expressão que o guia nativo disse a Pierre Sonnerat, o explorador francês que o acompanhava quando se descobriu esta espécie. Tomando erradamente a expressão como sendo o nome do animal, hoje em dia continua-se a denominar assim esta espécie em todo o mundo salvo em Madagascar, onde a população o chama de Babakoto. Os habitantes locais crêem que este primata de pernas compridas, de voz característica e cauda curta deu origem aos primeiros humanos, em tempos remotos.
A well-known story is that the indri’s name derives from the Malagasy word indry, meaning “there”, or “there it is”. Supposedly the French naturalist who first identified the indri heard his native guide say the word on pointing out the animal and assumed that to be its name. This is likely incorrect; it is more probable that the word derives from an actual native Malagasy word for the indri, which is endrina.
Another Malagasy name for the indri is babakoto, which can be translated to mean “ancestor” or “father”, but the actual meaning is likely more complex. In Malagasy, baba means “father” and koto means “little boy”, so a more accurate translation of the word might be “father of a little boy”.
#قصة_كلمة : #الإندري ، #باباكوتو #Indri #Babakoto حيوان يعيش في #مدغشقر لونه مابين الاسود والابيض طوله نحو 70 سم، ووزنه نحو 9كغم. اصل تسميته من اللغة المحلية #الملاغاسية . فالاندري indri تعني #there وعربيتها #ذلك وذلك ربما لما رؤي الحيوان اشير اليه فأتخذت تسمية له. انا باباكوتو babakoto فتعني (ابو الصغير) وهي من مركبتين عربيتين: #بابا: الاب. #كوتو: كتكوت ، صغير. فتعني #بابا_الكتكوت . #Wikipedia #كلمات_اصلها_عربي #Etymopedia #اتموبيديا https://www.instagram.com/p/BogVXdHABct/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=tmr0x4gq5jgi
The indri (Indri indri), also called the babakoto, is one of the largest living lemurs, with a head-and-body length of about 25–28 inches and a weight of between 13 to 21 pounds. It is a diurnal tree-dweller and, like all lemurs, it is native to Madagascar. It is revered by the Madagascan peoples and plays an important part in their myths and legends with various stories in existence accounting for its origin. It is monogamous and lives in small family groups, moving through the canopy, and is purely herbivorous, feeding mainly on leaves but also seeds, fruits, and flowers.
The indri is a vertical clinger and leaper and thus holds its body upright when traveling through trees or resting in branches. It has long, muscular legs which it uses to propel itself from trunk to trunk. Its large greenish eyes and black face are framed by round, fuzzy ears that some say give it the appearance of a teddy bear. Unlike any other living lemur, the indri has only a rudimentary tail. The silky fur is mostly black with white patches along the limbs, neck, crown, and lower back. Different populations of the species show wide variations in color, with some northern populations consisting of mostly or entirely black individuals. The face is bare with pale black skin, and it is sometimes fringed with white fur.
The indri practices long-term monogamy, seeking a new partner only after the death of a mate. It lives in small groups consisting of the mated male and female and their maturing offspring. In the more fragmented forests of their range, the indri may live in larger groups with several generations. Habitat fragmentation limits the mobility and capacity of these large groups to break into smaller units.
Like its sifaka relatives, the indri frequently engages in what has been described as sun-bathing or sun-worshipping. As the sun rises each morning, it will sit and face it from a tree branch with its legs crossed, back straight, hands low with palms facing out or resting on its knees, and eyes half-closed. Biologists are hesitant to call this behavior sun worship, as the term may be overly anthropomorphic. However, many Malagasy people do believe that the indri worships the sun.
The name "indri" most likely comes from a native Malagasy name for the animal, endrina. An oft-repeated, but probably incorrect story is that the name comes from indry, meaning "there" or "there it is". French naturalist Pierre Sonnerat, who first described the animal, supposedly heard a Malagasy point out the animal and took the word to be its name. The Malagasy name for the animal is babakoto. Babakoto is most commonly translated as "ancestor" or "father", but several translations are possible. The word "babakoto" may also be translated as "father of a little boy". The father-son dynamic of many of the babakoto origin myths helps to explain the Malagasy name.
Across Madagascar, the indri is revered and protected by taboos. Countless variations are given on the legend of the indri's origins, but they all treat it as a sacred animal, not to be hunted or harmed. One explanation for the name babakoto is that the calls made by the indri resemble a father calling for his lost son. Most legends establish a close relationship between the indri and humans. In some regions, two brothers were believed to have lived together in the forest until one of them decided to leave and cultivate the land. That brother became the first human, and the brother who stayed in the forest became the first indri. The indri cries in mourning for his brother who went astray. Another legend tells of a man who went hunting in the forest and did not return. His absence worried his son, who went out looking for him. When the son also disappeared, the rest of the villagers ventured into the forest seeking the two, but discovered only two large lemurs sitting in the trees: the first indri. The boy and his father had transformed. In some versions, only the son transforms, and the wailing of the babakoto is analogous to the father’s wailing for his lost son.
In all of the babakoto origin myths, there is some connection between lemurs and humanity, usually through common ancestry. It is easy to see why the indri is so closely identified with humans: Its long legs, large upright body, lack of a prominent tail, vocalizations, and complex systems of communication are all reminiscent of human traits.
The indri is a critically endangered species. Only one indri has lived over a year in captivity and none have bred successfully while captive. The population appears to be rapidly shrinking and may diminish by 80% over the next three generations (~36 years). The primary threats to its existence are habitat destruction and fragmentation due to slash and burn agriculture, fuel wood gathering, and logging. This kind of destruction occurs even in protected areas. The indri is also widely hunted, despite the many origin myths and traditional taboos which hold it sacred. Cultural erosion and immigration are partly to blame for the breakdown of traditional beliefs. In some cases, Malagasy people who resent the protective taboos find ways to circumvent them. People whose taboo forbid them from eating the indri may still hunt the lemurs and sell their flesh, and those forbidden to kill the indri may still purchase and consume them. Indri meat is prized as a delicacy in some regions.
