Home › Mammalia › Daubentoniidae › Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis)
SPECIES PROFILE
Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis)
Daubentonia
IUCN STATUS
Endangered
CONSERVATION STATUS
Endangered
CLASS
Mammalia
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Endemic to Madagascar
DIET
Omnivorous
HABITAT
Rainforest and deciduous forest
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Mammalia
ORDER
Primates
FAMILY
Daubentoniidae
GENUS
Daubentonia
📋 Description
SIZE
Up to 40 cm + 45 cm tail; ~2.5 kg
COLORATION
Shaggy black-brown fur, huge ears and orange eyes
ADAPTATIONS
A long, thin middle finger taps and extracts grubs from wood
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Rainforest and deciduous forest
DIET
Omnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Endemic to Madagascar
REPRODUCTION
Single infant
DIET DETAILS
Insect grubs, nuts, fruit and nectar
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Persecution, habitat loss
💡 Interesting Facts
1
The world's largest nocturnal primate, it finds grubs by tapping wood and listening for hollows.
2
Feared as an omen in local folklore, which has made its conservation harder.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Aye-Aye Island, Mananara
Andasibe-Mantadia National Park
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
April-November
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Best seen on guided night walks in eastern forests; look for glowing eyes and a long tapping finger.
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