Other Free Encyclopedias :: Animal Life Resource :: Mammals and Other Warm-Blooded Animals - Vol 3

Aye-Aye: Daubentoniidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, AYE-AYES AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Aye-ayes are found in Madagascar.

HABITAT

Aye-ayes live in several habitats, including rainforests where the weather is damp or wet throughout the year, dry forests that get little rain, mangroves or riverbank tree areas, and bamboo thickets or groups.

AYE-AYES AND PEOPLE

In many unprotected areas, aye-ayes are destroyed by the local people, either due to superstition, or because of aye-aye crop raiding on coconut plantations—large coconut growing areas. This problem began when their normal feeding areas were destroyed.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Aye-ayes are considered Endangered, facing a very high risk of extinction, or dying out, due to superstition-related killing, loss of habitat due to logging, and use of former tree land for crop growing. At one time they were considered to be extinct, however some were later found and moved to safer sites. Currently there are aye-ayes in about sixteen reserves, or semi-protected areas, and some other places.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Books:

Dunbar, Robin, and Louise Barrett. Cousins: Our Primate Relatives. London, New York, and Sydney: Dorling Kindersley, 2001.

Kavanagh, Michael A Complete Guide to Monkeys, Apes and Other Primates. New York: The Viking Press, 1984.

Maynard, Thane. Primates: Apes, Monkeys, and Prosimians. Danbury, CT: Franklin Watts, 1999.

Nowak, Ronald M., and John L. Paradiso, eds. Walker's Mammals of the World. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1983.

Sleeper, Barbara. Primates. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1997.

Periodicals:

"Aye-aye." Ranger Rick (April 1999): 36–38.

Erickson, Carl. "Aye-aye, Sir: There's Food in These Timbers." National Geographic (March 1992).

Skelton, Renee. "Creature of the Night." National Geographic World Magazine (1994): 18–31.

Web sites:

Animal Diversity Web. "Daubentoniidae: Aye-aye." http://www.primates.com/primate/daubentoniidae.html (accessed on June 22, 2004).

Animal Info. "Aye-aye." http://www.animalinfo.org/species/primate/daubmada.htm (accessed on June 22, 2004).

ARKive. "Aye-aye." http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/mammals/Daubentonia_madagascariensis/more_info.html (accessed on June 22, 2004).

Docent. "Aye aye." http://www.szgdocent.org/pp/p-aye.htm (accessed on June 22, 2004).

Science & Nature: Animals. "Aye aye." http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/327.shtml (accessed on June 22, 2004).

UNEP, WCMC, WWF. "Aye-aye—Daubentonia madagascariensis." http://www.unep-wcmc.org/species/data/species_sheets/ayeaye.htm (accessed on June 22, 2004).