Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)|Critically endangered
The silky sifaka or silky simpona (Propithecus candidus) is a large lemur characterized by long, silky white fur and has a restricted range in northeastern Madagascar. It is one of the rarest mammals on earth, and is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of the world's 25 most critically endangered primates. The silky sifaka is one of nine sifaka species (genus Propithecus), and one of four former subspecies of diademed sifaka (P. diadema).
The silky sifaka has a variable social structure, and lives in groups of two to nine individuals. It spends most of its day feeding and resting, though it also devotes a considerable amount of the day to social behaviors, such as playing and grooming, as well as traveling. Females take priority over males during feeding. The diet consists primarily of leaves and seeds and is highly varied, consisting of many plant species. It is a seasonal breeder and only mates one day a year. Parental care is shared among adults in the group, as it is with other sifaka species. Like all lemurs, it relies strongly on scent for communication, often scent-marking trees near the center of its home range, as opposed to the territory borders. The species is only found within a few protected areas in the rainforests of northeastern Madagascar, with the majority of the remaining population in Marojejy National Park and Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve. The silky sifaka is hunted throughout its range as there is no local taboo (fady) against eating this species. Habitat disturbance, such as slash-and-burn agriculture (tavy), illegal logging of precious woods (particularly, rosewood) and fuel-wood, also occurs within the protected areas where it is found.