The aye-aye in the largest nocturnal primate in the world. Aye-ayes are elusive and rare creatures found in only in the tropical rainforests of Madagascar, an island off the coast of Africa.
The aye-aye is rather strange-looking, with huge amber eyes, saucer-shaped ears, sharp rodent-like teeth, a dark brown or black coat, and a bushy tail that a longer than its body. Its strangest physical feature is its middle finger. All its fingers are long and slender, tipped with pointed claws, but the middle finger is extra-long and thin. It also has claws on its toes except on its opposable big toe (similar to the opposable thumb in human beings) that helps it to hang from trees.
The aye-aye lives in trees, sleeping through the day in a ball like nest of leaves and branches. At nightfall, it emerges to hunt for food, it eats mainly insects which it finds by tapping the trunk of the tree patiently with its middle finger, it is the only primate to sue echolocation to find its food. It knocks on the wood and then cocks its head to listen for the sound of beetle larvae moving around inside the bark. It nibbles away till a small hole is formed, and using its middle finger as a hook, it draws out the insects!
Loss of its forest habitat, besides superstition, is one of the reasons for its dwindling population. The people of Madagascar look at the aye-aye with superstitions dread because of its strange looks. They believe that its appearance foretells death and the animals are often killed on sight.
Picture Credit : Google