Say hello to Simon*

Hi, my name is Simon and I will be your guide as we learn about the world in which we all live. I am an indri and I live in Madagascar.  Don't know where Madagascar is? It's a large island off the coast of Africa.....click here and I'll show you.

Before we get started, want to hear a funny story about how I got my name?

Many people believe my scientific name originated as a misunderstanding. In the native language of Madagascar (Malagasy), the word "Indry" means "Look over there!" or "There it is!"

So imagine early researchers trekking through the forests of Madagascar, looking for interesting animals with the help of local guides - at one point the guides stop, point to the trees, and shout “Indri! Indri!” Thinking they were naming an animal and not just pointing it out, those early researchers document the Latin name of the world’s largest lemur as Indri indri.

In fact, the Malagasy name for the indri is babakoto. But why don't you just call me Simon, the nVizn indri.

If you want to see a short video about indris, you can click the video below.

* My name is in honor of one of the world's leading scientists in the study of primates and lemurs - Dr. Elwyn Simons. You can read more about Dr. Simons and his work here.