Although the aye-aye looks more like a rodent than a primate, it is actually one of the world’s largest primates (National Geographic). Unlike most primates, it is largely nocturnal and has specially-developed senses that allow it to find food at night. It is not a hunter in the same way that some other primates are; instead, the aye-aye is a very strange animal, which uses its hands to tap on trees to find its favorite food—grubs. Once it finds a delicious treat, it uses its strong teeth to chew a hole right through the tree trunk and pull out the insect grubs within (National Geographic). This foraging method is quite unique, and it is largely unlike the foraging methods used by other primates—this is one of the things that makes the aye-aye such an interesting little creature.
The aye-aye has evolved perfectly to be able to forage in this strange way. It has long, skeletal fingers with very pointed, prominent nails. These hands allow the aye-aye to reach into small holes and pull out its food. While they are extremely effective, the effect of the hands is also very creepy—they look very little like the traditional primate hands, but they also do not look like rodent paws. The overall effect of the large eyes (for nocturnal activity) and the skeletal hands is a strange, almost hybrid-looking creature. The aye-aye also eats foods other than grubs, as it is an omnivore: it is also able to eat a plant-based diet, preferring fruits, seeds, and fungi when there are no other options available (National Geographic). It is mostly a solitary creature, although group foraging is not unheard of for the creatures (National Geographic).
Works Cited
National Geographic. "Aye-Ayes, Aye-Aye Pictures, Aye-Aye Facts - National Geographic". National Geographic. N. p., 2016. Web. 9 Mar. 2016.
