The aye-aye, scientifically known as Daubentonia madagascariensis, is a fascinating animal with unique features. Although it resembles a rodent, it actually belongs to the lemur family Daubentoniidae, making it the only extant member of the genus Daubentonia. Sadly, according to the IUCN, the aye-aye is currently classified as a near-threatened species, and it could become extinct within the next 1000 years. The aye-aye is named after the French naturalist Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton, and its second name, madagascariensis, is due to its exclusive presence in Madagascar. Interestingly, in the local language of Madagascar, Malagasy, the aye-aye is pronounced as “hay-hay” or “heh heh,” which means “I don’t know.” The true origin of its name, however, remains uncertain, and it is not clear whether it was named by the Europeans or the local Malagasy people.
Appearance
The aye-aye, despite being unattractive to many, has unique and beautiful color combinations. Young aye-ayes have silver and black stripes, which change as they grow older. Their fur becomes dark brown in the middle and white in the front. A full-grown aye-aye is three feet long, and their tail is of the same length. Their fingers are a unique feature and are used for finding food and grooming themselves.
Diet
The ay-aye typically lives on fruits, fungi, seeds, nectar, and other similar foods. They like to mainly eat beetles, which it effortlessly picks up from the trees. When they are not in their natural habitat, they feed on eggs, sugar cane, mangoes, and the like. Like mentioned in the earlier paragraph, they use their fingers to find food for themselves.
They make use of their third and fourth finger to find food by tapping on trees. They make holes inside the trees for their food. This method to find food is similar to the woodpecker as it uses its beak to cut through the tree for food. This is the reason the aye-aye is often compared to the woodpecker when searching for food.
Breeding
Their population has been decreasing every year. In North Carolina as the Duke Lemur Center, captive breeding has been taking place for many years. The Duke Lemur Center has been specializing in the breeding and research of the aye-aye. The Center has taken efforts to send their team members all the way to Madagascar to bring them in here for breeding.
Predators
Today, the aye-aye is considered as a near threatened species. Though, other bigger animals like to feed on them, they are killed mostly by human beings. Unfortunately for them, they are considered as a symbol of death. They are considered as an evil sign for the locals. However, the naturalist has found that these creatures are very fearless.
That is because they have come right up the naturalist and smelled them right at their feet. This just goes to show that this is a brave animal that deserves some sympathy.
Life Cycles & Lifestyle
At the Duke Lemur Center, research has been carried out about the life cycles and the lifestyle of the aye-aye. They are studied based on their growth and changes in their diet and lifestyle are noted. Since it looks more like a rodent due to its facial features and body characteristics, it has been classified by many in the Rodentia family or squirrel.
They come with big front teeth as a squirrel, hair color, and a large tail. The family of the aye-aye has been a long discussed topic without a proper conclusion.
Aye Aye Facts
You would be surprised to know that the aye-aye has the ability to extract food from the tree trunks using their fingers. This is a very unique feature of the animal. They tap on the trees few times and based on the echo that is produced make holes inside using their teeth. Once they have made the hole in the tree, the food is taken out using their fingers.
They usually search for their foods during the night time. They like to take occasional breaks in between their work. The aye-aye has the ability to climb trees through vertical leaps that can be done successively. You would be shocked to find out that the aye-aye can cross up to 4 kilometers per night.
In the year 1933, the aye-aye was thought to be extinct, but only found out in the year 1957. In the year 1966, more than eight aye-ayes were transported from Madagascar. Though people in Madagascar kill the aye-aye due to their superstitious beliefs, being a poor island they cannot do without farmlands
Habitat
The aye-aye can be found on the coastal islands of Madagascar, especially on the East side. They like to live in the rainforest, but due to their unwanted killing by the locals, they are shifting base to farmlands. Also they like to reside in canopy areas which are at a height of more than 700 meters.
The aye-aye sleeps in the daytime on nests that are built on trees. During the night they can be found searching for food on the trees.
Behavior
The behavior of the aye-aye is similar to that of a rodent. They walk and behave more like a rodent or squirrel. They can move fast around any territory.
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