Aye-Aye

## Description

The aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis ) is a long-fingered lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar with rodent-like teeth that perpetually grow and a special thin middle finger.

It is the world's largest nocturnal primate. It is characterized by its unusual method of finding food: it taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes in the wood using its forward-slanting incisors to create a small hole into which it inserts its narrow middle finger to pull the grubs out. This foraging method is called percussive foraging, and takes up 5–41% of foraging time. The only other animal species known to find food in this way is the striped possum. From an ecological point of view, the aye-aye fills the niche of a woodpecker, as it is capable of penetrating wood to extract the invertebrates within.

The aye-aye is the only extant member of the genus *Daubentonia* and family Daubentoniidae. It is currently classified as Endangered by the IUCN; and a second species, *Daubentonia robusta*, appears to have become extinct at some point within the last 1000 years.

## Appearance

The Aye-aye is a long-fingered lemur that inhabits the rainforests in Madagascar. It is the world’s largest nocturnal primate and has a unique appearance. When first discovered, it was thought to be a type of large squirrel. The aye-aye was finally recognized in the mid-1800s as being a member of the lemur family but was classified in its own group by itself, as its closest lemur relatives are a mystery even today. These incredibly special animals are, however, under severe threat throughout a good part of their natural habitat. By 1980 it was thought they were nearly extinct, mainly because they were killed on sight by local people who believed that it is very bad luck to encounter an aye-aye.

## Distribution

The aye-aye is native to Madagascar. It inhabits a wide variety of habitats such as deciduous forest, primary and secondary rainforest, cultivated plantations, and sometimes mangrove forest and dry scrub.

## Behavior

The aye-aye is an arboreal and nocturnal animal, spending most of its time up in trees. Although they descend to the ground now and again, aye-ayes eat, sleep, travel, and mate high in the trees and usually are found near to the canopy where the dense foliage provides plenty of cover. During the day aye-ayes sleep in a spherical nest built from leaves, vines, and branches and situated in the fork of tree branches. They come out after dark to hunt for food. Aye-ayes are solitary animals that mark their large home territory with scent. The smaller territory of females often overlaps those of at least two males. A male will generally share his territory with other males and sometimes they can forage in tandem and share a nest (although at different times). They seem to tolerate one another until they hear a female calling, looking for a mate.

## Diet

Aye-ayes are omnivorous animals. They eat a variety of fruits, nectar, honey, fungi, seeds, larvae, insects, and eggs.

## Reproduction

Aye-ayes are polygynandrous (promiscuous) animals, with both males and females having multiple mates. A female ready to mate calls to males, which gather around her and fight aggressively amongst themselves for the right to breed with her. Contrary to a previous belief about a strict breeding season, the aye-aye seems to mate at any time of the year, dependent on when the female is in season. Gestation lasts about five months and one offspring is born. It stays safely in the nest for the first 2 months and is weaned at about 7 months old. It will remain with its mother until the age of two years when it leaves to establish its own territory. It is thought that female aye-ayes are sexually mature at the age of 3 to 3.5 years, and males from the age of 2.5 years.

## Population

### Population threats

The biggest threat to the aye-aye is habitat loss through deforestation and the increasing number of human settlements that impact its natural habitat. Aye-Ayes are also hunted or killed outright by native Malagasy, as they are regarded both as crop pests and bad omens.

### Population number

The Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) resource states that the current number of aye-ayes is unknown. However, an estimate would be 1,000-10,000 animals. Today aye-aye numbers are decreasing and it is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List.

### Ecological niche

Aye-ayes may help in the dispersal of the fruiting tree seeds which they consume. In addition, they are important predators of the larvae of the wood-boring beetle and may control its populations.

## Fun Facts for Kids

Aye-ayes often hang upside down from branches and are able to rest horizontally or vertically.

Aye-ayes are specially adapted for hunting in a unique way. They tap a branch with their finger and listen for the sound of larvae or moving insects. If they hear something, they make a hole using their sharp teeth and scoop out the prey with their middle digit.

It is thought that the aye-aye is the only primate to search for food using echolocation.

When traveling on the ground, an aye-aye raises its delicate clawed digits to avoid damaging them, resulting in a clumsy, strange gait.

The name “aye-aye” may come from the “hai-hai” sound they make when fleeing danger.

Aye-ayes originally were classified as rodents, due to their incisors, which grow continuously.