|
|
Aye-aye
Daubentonia madagascariensis
| Size |
Adult aye-ayes measure 14-17 in (36-43 cm) head-to-tail. The long tail is approximately 22-24 in (56-61 cm). |
| Weight |
Adult aye-ayes weigh 4-6 lbs (181-272 kg). |
| Conservation Status |
On the 2011 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the aye-aye is listed as Near Threatened. |
| Diet |
The aye-aye is omnivorous, feeding on a variety of foods in the wild including insects, nectar, seeds, fruits, nuts and fungi. At the Zoo, aye-ayes are offered a base diet of aye-aye gruel consisting of primate biscuit and water with a different ingredient added each day for flavor. The enrichment portion includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, insects, eggs, and nuts. The diet is offered over the course of the day to simulate normal feeding patterns of wild aye-aye. Insects are offered live and must hunted for and captured. This results in activity that provides exercise and nourishment. |
| Geographic Range |
Madagascar (primarily east cost rainforests, also dry forests in northwest and west of the island). |
| Where to find me in the Zoo |
PECO Primate Reserve |
Note: Description below should include Longevity, Behavior, and Reproduction information
Aye-ayes are dark in color and have large, black, moveable ears. There is little to no sexual dimorphism (size difference between the sexes) in the aye-aye. They are nocturnal, solitary foragers with a large brain-to-body ratio. Aye-ayes have two layers of hair and a large, bushy tail. They have ever-growing incisors and an elongated, flexible middle finger on each of its hands, which moves independently from the other digits. There are only a handful of facilities that have captive aye-ayes in both Europe and the United States. The only U.S. facilities that house aye-ayes are; the Duke Lemur Center (Durham, NC), Denver Zoo, San Francisco Zoo, Omaha Zoo and the Philadelphia Zoo.
Longevity
A typical lifespan for aye-ayes in zoos is 20-25 years. Typical lifespan in the wild is not known, but is likely to be shorter than in zoos.
Reproduction
They reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age. Pairs will mate any time of the year and give birth every 2-3 years. The gestation period is 160-170 days and the young nurse up to one year. Aye-aye females typically "park" their infants in the nest for a majority of the first two months of life.
Behavior
Aye-ayes spend 70-80% of the night feeding and traveling. The aye-aye's elongated third digit is used to to assist them in percussive foraging. Percussive foraging is a specialized foraging technique that involves tapping on branches or rotting wood that may contain insect larvae (similar to a woodpecker), which they extract with their long fingers. Aye-ayes use their large, mobile ears to assist in locating larvae in wood, which they gnaw open using their ever-growing incisors.
Tolkien: Male, born on January 7, 2001 at the Duke Lemur Center in Durham, NC. Arrived Philadelphia Zoo, July 1, 2009.
Medusa: Female, born on October 14, 2003 at the Duke Lemur Center in Durham, NC. Arrived Philadelphia Zoo, July 1, 2009.
Smeagol: Male, born on July 14, 2010 to Medusa and Tolkien at the Philadelphia Zoo.
Enrichment
Adoption Information
Featured Foster Parent
Fun Facts
- Aye-ayes are nocturnal, so they are most active at night.
- Due to its specialized body type, behavior, and uniqueness among primates, the aye-aye is included in its own family, genus and species.
- They have ever-growing incisors and an elongated, flexible middle finger on each of its hands.
Conservation
Introductions
Animal Lingo
Want More?
Sources:
Sources: 1) Duke Lemur Center Online [updated 2011]. Duke University. www.lemur.duke.edu/. Downloaded 25 June 2011; 2) Nowak RM. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th edition. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 532-533; 3) National Geographic Society. . Downloaded 25 June 2011; 4) Gron K. 2007. Primate Info Net: Primate Factsheets. National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison. . Downloaded 26 June 2011; 5) Sussman RW. 1999. Primate Ecology and Social Structure. Needham Heights (MA): Pearson Custom Publishing, p. 107-148; 6) IUCN 2011. 2011 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded 26 June 2011.
|