Aye-Aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis)

Description: The aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a mammal belonging to the group of primates referred to as the prosimians. Prosimians are more primitive than monkeys and apes and, in addition to the aye-aye, include animals such as lemurs, lorises, pottos and galagos.

The aye-aye grows to a length of about 16 inches and to a weight of about 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 pounds. Aye-ayes have course black hair. These primates are primarily nocturnal and feed on wood-boring insects they find under bark. The aye-aye has an elongated middle finger which serves them well when prying grubs from the bark of trees.

Habitat: Tropical forest and rainforest in Northwestern and Eastern Madagascar.

Diet: Grubs, fruits, seeds, fungi.

Status: Endangered. A reduction of at least 50%, projected or suspected to be met within the next 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer, based on (1) a decline in area of occupancy, extent of occurrence and/or quality of habitat and (2) actual or potential levels of exploitation.

Population estimated to number less than 2500 mature individuals and a continuing decline, observed, projected, or inferred, in numbers of mature individuals and a severely fragmented population structure (i.e. no subpopulation estimated to contain more than 250 mature individuals).

Source: IUCN Species Information Sheet (aye-aye), 1994 Categories and Criteria.