Singing lemurs have a distinctly human sense of rhythm, study finds

Indris sound like bagpipes being stepped on' but their 1:2 beats are the first to be identified in non-human mammals

They have fluffy ears, a penetrating stare and a penchant for monogamy. But it turns out that indris - a large, critically endangered species of lemur - have an even more fascinating trait: an unexpected sense of rhythm.

Indri indri are known for their distinctive singing, a sound not unlike a set of bagpipes being stepped on. The creatures often strike up a song with members of their family either in duets or choruses, featuring sounds from roars to wails.