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What is special about Aye Aye fingers?
It is most famous for its exceptionally long and skinny fingers. In fact, they are so long that the aye-aye’s hand accounts for about 41% of the total length of the forelimb. The animals also have highly specialised, extremely long third digits – middle fingers if you like – which they use to find food.
How long are aye ayes middle finger?
A fully grown, adult aye-aye typically measures around 3-feet in length, while its tail is bushy and as long as its body. The diet of the aye-aye suggests that it is an omnivore, as it eats much more than just grubs….Aye-aye Facts Overview.
| Habitat: | Rainforest or Deciduous Forest |
|---|---|
| Conservation Status: | Endangered |
What are some fun facts about aye ayes?
A full-grown aye-aye is usually about three feet long, with a tail as long as its body. The aye-aye’s tail has the longest hairs of any prosimian (a group that includes lorises, bush babies, lemurs, and tarsiers) at over 9 inches long. Aye-ayes can live over 20 years in captivity. Think they look weird?
What happens if an aye-aye points at you?
Legend goes that if an aye-aye points at you with its elongated middle finger, you’re marked for impending death, and the only path to salvation is to slaughter the defenseless animal. Once the hole in the bamboo is opened up, the aye-aye uses its middle digit to feel around for the grub, hooking it with a long nail.
Do aye-ayes eyes glow in the dark?
They also have large eyes with a tapetum lucidum – a reflective layer on the back of the eye that improves night vision. Daylight finds aye-ayes high in the trees safely tucked into ball-like nests consisting of interwoven twigs and leaves.
Why is the aye aye going extinct?
Although protected by law, aye-ayes are threatened due to habitat loss and hunting, as some natives kill any aye-aye they encounter because they believe it brings bad luck. Human population growth and expansion and rainforest destruction cause the loss of aye-aye home ranges.
Why does the aye aye have a long finger?
Their fingers are long and their third finger is thinner than the others, helping them and eat their larvae-based diet. Pictured above: The aye-aye’s long, thin middle finger is essential for locating and “hooking” insect larvae for the aye-aye to eat. Click the image for a larger view.
What kind of tail does an aye aye have?
Aye-ayes are dark brown or black and are distinguished by a bushy tail that is larger than their body. They also feature big eyes, slender fingers, and large, sensitive ears. Aye-ayes have pointed claws on all their fingers and toes except for their opposable big toes, which enable them to dangle from branches.
Where does the aye aye make its nest?
The nests appear as closed spheres with single entry holes, situated in the forks of large trees. While perched aloft, the aye-aye taps on trees with its long middle finger and listens for wood-boring insect larvae moving under the bark. It employs the same middle finger to fish them out.
What does a aye aye lemur do with its teeth?
When the sound indicates they are above an insect tunnel, the animals begin to tear off enormous chunks of the outer bark with their impressive teeth. Then the aye-aye inserts its slender and highly flexible third finger into the hole, and when the prey is located, it is hooked with the tip of the finger and removed.