By Sheetal Kumari | August 20, 2025
Get to know the Aye-Aye: Madagascar’s mysterious night primate. Learn its distinctive characteristics, behaviors, and why this unusual lemur is interesting to scientists and animal enthusiasts.
Image: Canva
The aye-aye is only found in Madagascar and lives in dense forests. It spends most of its time in trees, where it slips silently into the nighttime canopy using its agility.
Image: Canva
The aye-aye’s eyes are big, ears are big, and it also has a bushy tail. It uses its strange long middle finger to dig up insects.
Image: Canva
Active throughout the night, the aye-aye searches for insects and larvae. It rests by day, concealed in holes in trees to protect itself.
Image: Canva
It taps wood with its long finger to find hollow areas. After that, it gnaws holes and gets insects out, a foraging strategy known as percussive.
Image: Canva
The aye-aye is mainly insectivorous but also consumes fruits, nuts, and seeds. Its adaptable diet allows it to thrive in varied forest habitats.
Image: Canva
Aye-ayes breed slowly, typically giving birth to one infant following a long gestation. Mothers nurse their young for months.
Image: Canva
Endangered, aye-ayes suffer from habitat loss and local superstition. Some locals believe that they are bad luck, causing them to be killed unnecessarily.
Image: Canva
Scientists study aye-ayes because of their special adaptations. Their tapping behavior and nocturnal habits tell us something about evolution and primate intelligence.
Image: Canva
Trek through Madagascar’s conservation forests with professional guides. Night excursions provide the best opportunity to spot this elusive, nocturnal primate in the wild.
Image: Canva