Primates in Peril

Perrier’s Sifaka
Propithecus perrieri Lavauden, 1931
Madagascar
(2000, 2002, 2004, 2014)
Matthew A. Banks, Erik R. Patel, Lounès Chikhi & Jordi Salmona
Perrier’s sifaka (Propithecus perrieri).
(Illustration: Stephen D. Nash)
Perrier’s sifaka (Propithecus perrieri) is intermediate in
size relative to other members of the genus Propithecus
(Ranaivoraisoa et al. 2006, Lehman et al. 2005) and is
characterized by an all-black pelage, naked black face
and striking orange-red eyes (Mittermeier et al. 2010).
At present, Perrier’s sifaka occurs only in dry deciduous
forests on limestone karst and semi-evergreen
transitional forests on sandstone soils and has a diet of
predominantly leaves and flowers (Lehman and Mayor
2004). Little is known about many details of its biology
including its behaviour and past distribution. Its current
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distribution is the smallest of all Propithecus species and
it has been recognized as Critically Endangered since
1996 (IUCN 2015; Mittermeier et al. 2010; Salmona
et al. 2013). Its geographic range is restricted to the
extreme northeast of Madagascar, some 50 km to the
south of Antsiranana (Diego Suarez). It extends from
the eastern edges of the Analamerana limestone massif,
along the Indian Ocean coast to the sandstone forests
of the Andrafiamena mountains as far west as the
peaks of Ambohibe northeast of the rural commune
of Marivorahona. It is bound in the north by the Irodo
River and in the south by the Andrafiamena mountain
range (Banks 2012; Zaonarivelo et al. 2007). Despite
evidence of the species’ presence in the Ankarana
National Park in the 80s and 90s (Hawkins et al. 1990;
Meyers 1996), three recent surveys in 2003, 2004 and
2012 (Banks et al. 2007; Rasoloharijaona et al. 2005;
Salmona et al. 2013) failed to find Perrier’s sifakas there.
Furthermore, suggestions that its distribution might
also extend south of the Andrafiamena mountains and
into the Andavakoera forest (Schwitzer et al. 2006)
could not be confirmed during two surveys to the area
in 2006 and 2012 (Zaonarivelo et al. 2007, Salmona et
al. 2013).
Earlier estimates of Perrier’s sifaka total population size
based on total remaining habitat within the species’
range suggested that less than 1000 individuals persist
in the wild. Estimates of the effective population
size from field data (ca ~230 individuals; Banks et al.
2007) and from genetic data (Ne ~50-100; Salmona et
al. submitted), further support that the population is
small. However, Doctoral thesis work by Banks between
2007 and 2012 provided revised estimates of population
density that addressed differences in habitat quality in
dry and semi-evergreen forest types. After modelling
detection in this elusive species as a function of
behaviour, observer, and habitat differences, the study
reached a population size estimate of 2133 (95% CI:
1761.0 – 2584) individuals. Although a small number of
forest patches within the range are not included in these
estimates, the area sampled (252 km 2 ) comprises 85%
of the total remaining habitat available estimated (296.6