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Indri - or how NOT to take a Photograph
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
I was very pleased to get this shot as wild Indris are very difficult to photograph. They jump from tree to tree quickly whilst the viewers stumble round on the forest floor. There is also the problem of rainforest photography - dim conditions below and blinding light above the leaf level. This was a member of the second habituated troop in the reserve - but they are more remote and difficult to see. There were no tracks to get to this troop so we were struggling through 0.5 - 1 meter high undergrowth on slopes of - what felt like 130 degrees. To get this shot I was lying on the ground with one arm wrapped round a tree and my legs hanging down slope with nothing to anchor onto. The things we do for a shot!!!!
We heard the Indris calling before we saw them - the call (notes below) was spine tingling and beautiful.
The Indri (Indri indri), also called the Babakoto, is one of the largest living lemurs. It is a diurnal tree-dweller related to the sifakas and, like all lemuroids, it is native to Madagascar.
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. 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. Unlike any other lemur, the Indri has only a rudimentary tail.
The Indri is herbivorous and primarily folivorous. It prefers young, tender leaves but will also eat seeds, fruits, and flowers. Female Indri seem to have greater preference for immature leaves than males do and will spend more time foraging among them. A wide variety of plant species are consumed, with members of the laurel family featuring prominently in the diet. The Indri consumes little non-tree vegetation.
To feed, the Indri plucks off a leaf or other plant part with its teeth. It uses its hands to pull tree branches closer to its mouth.
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.
The Indri is well known for its loud, distinctive songs, which can last from 45 seconds to more than 3 minutes. Song duration and structure varies among and even within groups, but most songs have the following three-phase pattern.
Usually, a "roar sequence" lasting for several seconds will precede the more characteristic vocalizations. All members of the group (except the very young) participate in this roar, but the song proper is dominated by the adult pair. They follow the roar with a "long note sequence", characterized by notes of up to 5 seconds in duration. After this is the "descending phrase sequence". The wails begin on a high note and become progressively lower-pitched. It is common here for two or more Indri to coordinate the timing of their descending notes to form a duet.
Different Indri groups typically sing sequentially, responding to one another. As well as solidifying contacts between groups, the songs may communicate territorial defense and boundaries, environmental conditions, reproductive potential of the group members, and warning signals. The Indri may sing after disturbances such as thunder, airplanes, bird calls, and other lemur calls. A group will sing almost every day, up to seven times daily. The peak singing hours are between 7 and 11 AM. Daily frequency of song is highest in November and December (near breeding season), when the Indri are even heard during the night.
Several other Indri vocalizations have been identified. The “roar” is also used as a warning signal for aerial predators such as hawks. The Indri emit a "hoot" or "honk" to warn of terrestrial predators such as the fossa. Other vocal categories include the "grunt", "kiss", "wheeze", and "hum". The purpose of these is still not entirely clear. |
eqshannon, JoseMiguel, SelenE, joey, Argus, EOSF1, nglen, angybone, nirmalroberts, rousettus, haraprasan has marked this note useful
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A cute little frame..his head framed by trees and his rear:-) It is a priceless image...very well seen...by you! And me!
Bob
Hi James,
You at least can claim to have a clear image of this unique indri!
It is certainly difficult to shot properly in such conditions, but here you managed to catch it with good and very descriptive details.
Congratulations and thanks for share it.
My best regards,
JM
- SelenE
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2339 W: 59 N: 3778]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(12122) - [2007-11-27 5:27]
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Hi James,
I can see that your efforts in those difficult conditions worth this shot. It is a precious wildlife photo of this Indri with a good composition showing the habitat. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen
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- joey
(19685)
- [2007-11-27 6:19]
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Cool! Well done for capturing such a hyper animal and in the wild!
Great detail in the dense fur and good sharpness.
I love the notes aswell :)
Cheers James,
Joe
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- Argus
(23193)
- [2007-11-27 8:12]
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Hello James,
Admittedly one could take a sharper portrait of this Indri in a zoo, but for me this is more worthy anytime. Here you not only portay it in its natural habitat, you have caught him at a good moment registring the caution and alertness of an animal in the wild, and the photographic 'discrepancies' caused by the leaves are just part of the feeling of being in the wild.
Well done! This is a great shot and thanks for sharing it.
Ivan
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- EOSF1
(21282)
- [2007-11-27 11:15]
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Hello James, those are hard to photograph but you did very good at getting this one ! Beautiful animal ! Well done on that picture and on the note. thanks !
Mario
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- nglen
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1989 W: 5 N: 5528]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(20896) - [2007-11-27 12:46]
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Hi James. As you say not a easy one to get, you have done so well with it. You did well with the bright light . Good detail in the fur. What a great pose as if he was ready to jump to another branch. great timing from you. well done TFS.
Nick..
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- Mana
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1714 W: 24 N: 4988]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(16346) - [2007-11-27 19:10]
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Hi James,
Wonderful shot considering the difficulties mentioned. Understandable that the light conditions would be bad in a rain forest and the fast moving Indris also pose a hard task, but you have done admirably well here. Nice details on its fur and excellent light management. Great POV and a superb composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon
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- demeve
(4054)
- [2007-11-27 22:05]
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Hello James,
Today I'm only able to mark your photo
I'm sorry for that, I'll come back later
with a proper critique.. Congratulations
on a fine capture
Everton
Its about more than the perfectly composed photo..it's about showing us places and critters that we don't get to see, educating and enlightening us, teaching us to respect the planet, and in your case, inspiring wanderlust!
I love this little guy! Thank you for sharing.
Hi James,
Congratulations for being able to take such a nice photograph of this lemur. And thanks for sharing it with your TN friends.
Regards,
- Nirmal
Hi James,
Your notes very nice to read. I learn many thing from them. But your shot also very nice. You managed in this hard condition. This great work. Thanks. best wishes
Ahmet
Hi James,
A beautiful capture even though adverse conditions for photography. Very good details of this completely new to me species. Very nice work. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Hello James.
Excellent picture, nice composition and colors.
Regards.
JOse Luis.
