You might have wondered what are aye-ayes known for? Aye-Ayes are ancient primates that are popularly found in the island nation of Madagascar. Let’s find out what it is known for and why they are regarded as primates.
Physical Features
Anyone can recognize the Aye-Aye by its strange appearance which is made up of a round eyes, long bushy tail and a bony middle finger which differs from other members of the lemur family.
Its rough fur which can be gray or dark brown helps as a disguise in the thick forests of Madagascar.
Another intriguing feature of the Aye-Aye is its long and bony middle finger which is used for a special purpose. This particular finger helps it in its special foraging which is known as the percussive foraging.
This type of foraging is done by using its specialized finger to tap and extract insects’ larvae hidden beneath the bark of a tree.
Percussive Foraging
This type of foraging is unique exclusively to the Aye-Aye which makes it different from the other primates.
This foraging is performed by tapping on tree barks using the bony middle finger to create some series of sounds that comes in rhythms.
This act helps them discover some empty chambers beneath the tree bark where these insects that bores wood can be found. Once it discovers its meal, it makes use of this specialized finger to extract the insects
Nocturnal Lifestyle
Other attributes that make the Aye-Aye stand out from other primates is its nocturnal abilities.
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The Aye-Aye is primarily active at night and it also makes use of its senses which includes large eyes and highly sensitive ears to move around in darkness. This behaviour helps it avoid some potential predators and competition.
Solitary Nature
The Aye-Ayes are solitary in nature with the adult male and females staying in separates territories.
They use vocalizations to communicate with one another with their social environments having low communication amongst themselves.
Wildlife enthusiasts believe that their solitary nature is related to their specialized feeding habits. A single Aye-Aye can search for insect larvae in a large area.