The Ingavi are a small-statured humanoid species from the planet Ingav. An arboreal species, the Ingavi resemble apes, with fur covering their bodies. They possess large eyes, flat noses and wide, down-turned mouths. The Ingavi became warp capable in the mid-23rd century.
In the early 2300s, the Ingavi were conquered by the Cardassians and became part of the Cardassian Union. Two thousand of them were able to leave the planet and headed for the Badlands, where their ship was damaged and were forced to crash on Sindorin. Twelve hundred survived the crash and the first month on the planet and started a colony.
In 2373, Ro Laren was saved by the Ingavi, after she was injured in a mudslide that killed her Maquis companions. The Ingavi nursed her back to health and, in return, she promised not to reveal them to others off world.
Soon after the Dominion invaded the Alpha Quadrant, Jem'Hadar began to oppress the Ingavi, who decided to withdraw into Sindorin's forests. In 2376, Ethan Locken's Jem'Hadar began attacking the Ingavi and their homes. In that year, they helped Ro to get to the USS Euphrates and later to breach Locken's headquarters. Section 31 began killing the Ingavi when they arrived to clean up the situation, but they were transported to a Federation holoship by Elias Vaughn and were taken home to Ingav, now one of the United Federation of Planets' protectorates. (DS9 novel: Abyss)