Singing animals: Indri lemurs found to sing in similar rhythm to humans
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One, two, three, four! Think you've got rhythm? These lemurs have more!
You've heard of BTS, you've heard of Little Mix, but have you heard of indris?
No, they're not a new band climbing up the UK charts. In fact, they're a species of lemur known for their singing and their talents are more similar to human vocals than you might expect!
These critically endangered primates live in Madagascar, and scientists have discovered that they sing in rhythms that were previously thought only to be possible in humans and some birds.
Lemurs are social animals and can live in communities of 10 to 25 members!
After analysing hundreds of the lemur's songs, scientists at the University of Turin in Italy have found they harmonise together, in duets and sometimes in choruses of more than two animals.
They also sing to find lost family members, mark parts of the forest as their territory, and even perform "vocal battles" with each other!
While their songs might not seem like number one material, scientists have said the length of the notes and the patterns they're sung in share lots of similarities with human music.
Indris are the largest species of lemur
They are only found in Northern Madagascar
They're legally protected there due to their critically endangered status
For example, indris sing some notes longer than others during their songs, in a patterns very similar to the 'stomp, stomp, claps' in Queen's famous tune 'We Will Rock You'.
The lead researcher in the study, Chiara De Gregorio, said that this discovery "pays for all the days spent shivering under the rain, waiting for the animals to sing".
- Published25 October 2021
- Published15 September 2016
