The Aye-Aye Lemur Is Feared by Some but Needed by Nature

by Lucas Abiy, age 8

The aye-aye lemur looks scary as it has rounded eyes, rat-like teeth, and a big bushy squirrel-like tail. The lemur eats fruits, larvae, fungi, nectar, and insects such as wood boring beetles, clear-winged moths, wood wasp, and the green-headed flush head. This interesting Lemur lives in the jungles of Madagascar.

The aye-aye lemur has amazing senses of smell and touch, which helps when looking for prey. This creature eats uniquely; it taps on hollow branches and uses its four muscular fingers to extract its meals from trees. The aye-aye lemur can measure up to one meter in length, and weigh up to about two kilograms.

This lemur spends most of its life in the treetops and rarely goes down to the forest floor. Their circular nest is found resting in between tree branches in the rainforest and is cuddled in leaves and vines.

The aye-aye faces many threats and dangers. Specifically, the native people of Madagascar often consider the lemurs as bad omens. It’s believed that if the aye-aye points its finger at them, it is trying to tell the person their death is near. Therefore, the animal is often killed on sight. Although this creature is scary it is an amazing part of the rainforests ecosystem.

[Source: National Geographic]