Aye-Aye

Daubentonia madagascariensis

A strange-looking nocturnal lemur that taps on trees with a long, thin middle finger to find grubs inside.

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About the Aye-Aye

Aye-ayes live across Madagascar in rainforests, dry forests and plantations, spending most of their time high in the treetops. They have long, coarse dark fur, large ears, yellow-orange eyes and a bushy tail. Their third finger is long, thin and bendy. They eat fruit, nuts and seeds, using that finger to scoop out the insides of fruit.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Daubentonia madagascariensis^[1]
Size: Body about 14 to 17 inches, plus a long bushy tail.^[1]
Lifespan: Over 23 years in human care.^[1]
Diet: Fruits, nuts, seeds, nectar and wood-boring insect larvae.^[1]
Habitat: Rainforest, deciduous forest, plantations and sometimes dry scrub and mangroves.^[1]
Where it lives: Throughout Madagascar.^[1]
Group life: Solitary and nocturnal.^[1]
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN Red List, assessed 2018).^[2]

Fun facts

Aye-ayes tap on wood to find grubs hiding inside.^[1]
An aye-aye's middle finger is long, thin and bendy.^[1]
They sleep in round nests high in the trees.^[1]

Vocabulary

percussive foraging: Tapping on something to find food hidden inside.
larva: The young stage of an insect that looks different from the adult (plural: larvae).
omen: A sign that people believe tells the future.
nocturnal: Active mainly at night.
endangered: A conservation label meaning a species faces a very high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and AquariumOmaha, Nebraska · Hubbard Expedition MadagascarSee this area on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan. “Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis).” https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Daubentonia_madagascariensis/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Daubentonia madagascariensis (Aye-aye).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/6302/115560793 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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