I just stumbled upon this sucker. He's pretty psychotic looking if I do say so, mostly from the eyes. But his feet look very bat-like, and apparently it is nocturnal, although they (National Geographic) say that he is in the ape family. And what a family it is.
The ape/primate family is indeed the best. Is he really an ape as opposed to just a standard primate? For instance, from my understanding, all monkeys are primates, but apes are also primates but not monkeys. This fella looks more closely related to monkeys than he does to the human-like apes. But hey, I'm sure the National Geographic knows more than me. Let me guess...are they from New Zealand or Australia or something? Or Madacasgar?
ReplyDelete"Aye-ayes can be found only on the island of Madagascar. These rare animals may not look like primates at first glance, but they are related to chimpanzees, apes, and humans."
ReplyDelete"While perched aloft, the aye-aye taps on trees with its long middle finger and listens for wood-boring insect larvae moving under the bark. It employs the same middle finger to fish them out. The digit is also useful for scooping the flesh out of coconuts and other fruits that supplement the animal's insect diet.
Many people native to Madagascar consider the aye-aye an omen of ill luck. For this reason they often have been killed on sight. Such hunting, coupled with habitat destruction, have made the aye-aye critically endangered. Today they are protected by law."
-National Geographic