UNEP-WCMC - Aye-Aye

HABITAT Primary and secondary rain forest, deciduous forest, secondary growth, and dry scrub forest. Also occurs in cultivated areas, particularly coconut groves (Harcourt & Thornback, 1990).

GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD Widely spread though sparsely distributed throughout eastern, northern and northwestern Madagascar.

CURRENT POPULATION Unknown.

SIZE Body length 36 to 44cm. Tail length 50 to 60cm.

WEIGHT Adult weight about 2kg.

AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY One captive specimen lived for 23 years and 3 months (Jones, 1982).

NORMAL DIET Highly specialised for feeding on insect grubs excavated from rotting wood. Aye-ayes also eat fruits, principally coconuts, plant galls, adult insects and small vertebrates.

NORMAL LIFESTYLE Elusive and nocturnal. Solitary individuals are most often recorded. Needs large trees in which to build its daytime nests.

PREVIOUS GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD Possibly had a greater distribution range within Madagascar, or had denser population structure prior to habitat loss. No conclusive evidence is available.

REASONS FOR DECLINE Destruction of habitat through logging and conversion to agricultural use. The Aye-aye is also killed by humans when it raids crops and because of local superstition.

CURRENT THREATS Same as the reasons for decline.

CONSERVATION PROJECTS The species occurs within the following protected areas: the Verezanantsoro, Mantady, Montagne d'Ambre and Ranomafana National Parks; the Andohahela, Bemaraha, Betampona, Marojejy and Zahamena Nature Reserves; the Ambatovaky, Analamazaotra, Analamera, Ankarana, Foret d'Ambre, Manombo and Manongarivo Special Reserves. It was introduced to Nosy Mangabe Special Reserve in 1966 (Mittermeier, et al. 1992). Most of these areas require better protection (Harcourt & Thornback, 1990). Several small captive breeding colonies exist and the species has recently been bred successfully in captivity. Conservation education and development programmes are needed for the local people. Laws against killing Aye-ayes need better enforcement. Local people should be compensated for damage to crops caused by aye-ayes.

SPECIAL FEATURES The Aye-aye is considered a harbinger of misfortune by local people and is often killed on sight. In the past the Aye-aye was protected by a local belief that anyone who harmed one would die within one year (Wolfheim, 1983).

REFERENCES

Carroll, J.B. & Beattie, J.C. 1993. Maintenance and breeding of the Aye-aye Daubentonia madagascariensis at The Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust. Dodo, Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust. 29: 45-54pp.

Harcourt, C. & Thornback, J. 1990. Lemurs of Madagascar and the Comoros. The IUCN Red DataBook. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.

Jones, M.L. 1982. Longevity of captive mammals. Zool. Garten. 52:113-28 (original not seen, Nowak, 1991).

Mittermeier, R.A., Konstant, W.R., Nicholl, M.E. & Langrand, O. (eds). 1992. Lemurs of Madagascar: An action plan for their conservation 1993-1999. IUCN, Gland. 58pp.

Nowak, R.M. 1991. Walker's Mammals of the World. 5th ed. Vol.1. John Hopkins University Press, London. pp.431-433.

Wolfheim, J.H. 1983. Primates of the World, Distribution, Abundance, and Conservation. University of Washington Press: London. pp. 597-598.

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