Aye aye | Facts & Information

The Aye aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a lemur that belongs to the genus Daubentoniidae, order Primates. Originally from Madagascar it is the size of a cat. The genus was named after the French naturalist Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton by his student Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in 1795.

Aye aye's closest relatives are monkeys and chimpanzees. Unfortunately he is killed by superstitious locals on the grounds that he is a demon or an animal bringing bad luck. It is now an extinct animal. Local residents ' attempts to kill it and habitat destruction pose a vital danger to aye aye. The people of Malaysia considered it a symbol of death.

The exact meaning of the name is no longer known, but it is assumed that "aye aye" means a warning of the animal's presence. Some say it is bad luck to come across such an animal and it is often killed to ward off evil spirits.

Although the inhabitants of Madagascar considered it extinct in 1961, six specimens were discovered. More recent research has confirmed that there are more specimens on the island than thought, but the species is still in danger. In 2005 there were only a few dozen copies.

It is the largest representative of nocturnal primates. Currently 50 individuals can be seen in various zoos.

Aye aye food

As ugly as it is strange when it comes to behavior. Aye aye uses his longest and thin finger to detect insects. Slowly clawing into the bark of trees and tapping its ears to detect insects and larvae inside the trees.

They use that location to locate prey. When it detects an AM or a movement it breaks the bark of trees with its teeth and uses the same finger to grab prey. He has such dexterity that he manages to pull out up to three larvae per second.

All that long, thin finger is used to reach the core of the coconut that prefers it. It also feeds on seeds, fruits, nectar, being classified as omnivorous.

They go searching for food 30-180 minutes after the sun sets. 80% of the night is spent searching for food. Travel up to 4km per night.

Although it is considered a lonely and social animal it still gathers in groups to search for food.

Features Aye aye

Aye aye is a 2 kg animal with large ears, bulging eyes and sharp teeth. The female has almost the same weight as the male, the difference is too small to be noticed with the naked eye sexual dimorphism. It is 30-35cm long and with its tail measures 45-55cm.

The body is covered by a spiky gray fur. The tail is bushy. All fingers are long and thin and end with claws, but one finger in particular is much longer and thinner. Adults are distinguished by darker eye color and white hair around the neck.

Aye aye is a nocturnal animal. Although they spend most of their lives at the top of trees they have also been seen on the ground occasionally. The big, bulging eyes give it good night vision, and with the help of the ears it locates the prey, which, as I said, is made up mostly of insects. During the day it sleeps in spherical Burrows on a bed of branches, branches and leaves.

The rather large territory of a female aye aye, which she marks with smell, overlaps with the territory of several males. It is known that aye aye males share their territory and sometimes also share Burrows. It is tolerated long enough except for the mating period.

If the territory of the males (320,000 sqm) overlaps and they are social, the territory of the females (80,000 sqm) does not overlap at all.

Because of its appearance legends say that aye aye is the symbol of death.

Breeding Aye aye

Aye aye males become aggressive during mating and fight for supremacy. Outside the mating season, individuals meet occasionally when looking for food. Being solitary animals spend little time with family.

So the males remain with the female and Cubs from the mating period until shortly after birth. The mating act lasts an hour.

Mating can take place at any time and the establishment lasts 5 months. Females usually remain pregnant once every 2-3 years. Puppies spend the first 7 months of their life with their mother.

The longest-lived aye aye lived in captivity until the age of 23. Life expectancy in the Wild is unknown, and in captivity it usually lives around 20 years.