Aye-aye
If it points its long finger at you you’re doomed, or perhaps this unfortunately ugly lemur from Madagascar just wants a hug. Its strange appearance and seemingly fearless nature has made it very unpopular with local villagers. But the use of its oddly long finger is not actually to condemn you to death like some believe. Interestingly, aye-ayes are the only primates that use echolocation. Using their long middle finger they tap on bark to find grubs lurking within and then hook them out to eat.[1][2]
Unfortunately aye-ayes are particularly vulnerable to extinction due to their low population densities and extensive range requirements.[3] Furthermore, superstition surrounding this animal is likely to have contributed to the current decline in numbers, so let’s not judge a book by its slightly unpleasant cover.
Photograph: By Tom Junek (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
[1] BBC Nature, (2014), Aye-aye, [online], Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Aye-aye [Accessed 6 January 2014]
[2] National Geographic, (2014), Aye-aye, [online], Available at: http://animals.nationalgeographic.co.uk/animals/mammals/aye-aye/ [Accessed 6 January 2014
[3] Perry, G. H.; Louis Jr., E. E; Ratan, A.; Bedoya-Reina, O. C.; Burhans, R. C.; Lei, R.; Johnson, S. E.; Schuster, S. C.; Miller, W., (2013), Aye-aye population genomic analyses highlight an important center of endemism in northern Madagascar, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 110(15): 5823-5828
