Madagascar: Palmarium Reserve – Aye Aye Lemurs

The entire point of coming to Palmarium was to get a chance to see the extremely rare and reclusive lemur called Aye Aye – the largest nocturnal primate in the world. The Aye-Aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is one of Madagascar’s most unique and unusual lemurs. It’s nocturnal and arboreal, often found in dense forests. Locals think they are devils and methodically exterminate them. The lemurs are highly unusual, known for its elongated middle finger to tap on wood and locate insect larvae through echolocation, as well as crack and eat coconuts. It then uses the same finger to extract the prey, functioning like a natural tool. The aye-aye has large, sensitive ears, rodent-like incisors for gnawing, and is omnivorous, feeding on fruits, seeds, and insects. At Palmarim, aye-ayes now live on a special island on the lake, that is uninhabited and not connected to any land. There are eight animals on the island, and every night visitors are brought to see them eat a coconut. It is a totally insanely unique and weird animal and it’s been on our “to see” list for years. Finally!