Mammals · Primates · Daubentoniidae
Aye-aye
Daubentonia madagascariensis
It faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. See full glossary
It is the largest nocturnal primate in the world, and has an extremely thin third finger it uses to tap on wood and locate grubs hidden inside by percussive echolocation, then hook them out with that same finger.
Weight
2.3 kg – 2.6 kg
Size
30 cm – 44 cm
Lifespan
23 years
Diet
Omnivore
Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Hard
Fun facts
- It is the largest nocturnal primate in the world.
- Its extremely thin middle finger finds grubs in wood by tapping, and then hooks them out.
- In parts of Madagascar it is the subject of superstitions that have historically led to it being killed on sight.
- anatomíaIts middle finger is shaped for tapping wood and detecting hidden cavities by the echo, locating grubs it then hooks out with that same elongated finger.
- anatomíaIts incisors grow continuously throughout its life, a trait unique among primates and more typical of rodents.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- A wide range of Madagascan forest: primary and secondary rainforest, deciduous woodland, plantations and mangrove
- Birth weight
- 90 - 140 grams
- Size at birth
- Undeveloped at birth, sheltered in a tree nest for its first 2 months
- Sexual maturity
- 2-3.5 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 157-172 days (~5-5.5 months)
- Litter / clutch size
- 1 young, with an interval between births of 2-3 years
- Lifespan in captivity
- Documented record of up to 23.3-32.3 years in captivity
Sources consulted: Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance; AnAge; Animal Diversity Web; Know Your Mammals; New England Primate Conservancy; Animalia.bio; A-Z Animals; Duke Lemur Center; SDZWA Library Fact Sheet
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Aye-aye — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Ring-tailed Lemur
Lemur catta
Greater Hedgehog Tenrec
Setifer setosus
Spotted Fanaloka
Fossa fossana
Coquerel's Sifaka
Propithecus coquereli
Grey Mouse Lemur
Microcebus murinus
Rufous Mouse Lemur
Microcebus rufus
How to help
The aye-aye is classified as endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 8 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about aye-aye.
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