AYE-AYE! AYE-AYE!!!

[thedarksiren2]

Undated handout photo issued by Bristol Zoo Gardens, of 'Kintana', the first captive bred aye-aye, an arboreal nocturnal lemur, Daubentonia madagascariensis, a native to Madagascar, to be born in the United Kingdom. Bristol Zoo Gardens announced Friday April 15, 2005, that it is the first UK zoo to successfully breed and hand-rear an aye-aye, the largest nocturnal primate in the world and one of the strangest mammals on the planet. (AP Photo/Bristol Zoo Gardens)

from http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/327.shtml :

Aye-aye
Daubentonia madagascariensis

Aye-ayes are the largest nocturnal primate in the world. They are also the only primate thought to use echolocation, which they use to find grubs up to 2cm deep in a tree.




from http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/ayeAyeNH.html:

"In the gloom it came along the branches towards me, its round, hypnotic eyes blazing, its spoon-like ears turning to and fro like radar dishes, its white whiskers twitching and moving like sensors; its black hands, with their thin fingers, the third seeming terribly elongated, tapping delicately on the branches as it moved along." -from The Aye-aye and I by Gerald Durrell.

The Aye-aye is one of many unusual animals... found in Madagascar. Threatened by the people it shares the island with because of it's odd appearance. To the Malagasy people, the Aye-aye is magical, and is believed to bring death to the village it appears in.



The Aye-aye owes its "notariety" much to its odd appearance, especially its long middle digit. This toe and claw is most important to the Aye-aye, as this is how it fishes tasty, fat grubs from rotting logs and branches.



The Aye-aye is also endagered[sic], like so many animals, because its habitat is being destroyed. The forests of Madagascar are cleared for sugar cane and coconut plantations, leaving the Aye-aye with out food or home. It must resort to eating what the plantations provide, which causes the animal to become a pest to the farmers.

"The main threat to the Aye-aye is destrucition of its habitat. It is not known if it can survive in degraded areas; it is suggested that it needs large trees in which to build its nests. In some areas of Madagascar it is killed on sight, as it is regarded as a harbinger of misfortune. It is also reported to be killed when raiding crops. It appears to be unafraid of humans and is easy to capture. Two of the tree species which the aye-aye seems to use as a food source occur throughout the eastern rainforest of Madagascar, but they are frequently cut down as their wood is used in the construction of boats, houses and coffins. ...

Malagasy law prohibits the killing or unauthorised capture of any lemurs. However, this law is often impossible to enforce."

Source: The Lemurs of Madagascar and the Comoros. The IUCN Red Data Book. Gland, Switzerland. 1990. ©2000 The Wild Ones

You all pro'ly weren't as interested as I was at the time. Just thought it'd bring a smile to some peeps...seems like a rough Tuesday for most of you out there. Besides, I ♥ lemurs of all kinds. ~8D

Here's to preserving what is still beautiful and strange in this world...(((HUGZ!!)))

Comments

[oqidaun.livejournal.com]

when i was a little kid i used to have nightmares that something like that lived under my bed.

Oh no!!!

[thedarksiren.livejournal.com]

so much for the cheering-up!!!
~8/

[(Anonymous)]

Dear Oquidaun,

I looked nothing like that. I had more hair, and a cloud of eerie green smoke hovered around me.

Love always,

The Thing That Really Lived Under Your Bed

IMPOSTER!!!

[thedarksiren.livejournal.com]

You are OBVIOUSLY a very cheap imitation of that which lived under Oqi's bed. You didn't even spell her name correctly...tsk!tsk!

REAL monsters pay close attention to details, particularly those which hide under children's beds. That's part of what makes 'em so damn scary! They KNOW TOO MUCH!!!

Re: IMPOSTER!!!

[(Anonymous)]

Dear Thedarksiren,

Hey, cut me some slack, would ya? For one thing, I've got a lot of beds to haunt, and I (obviously) don't get a whole lot of sleep. Yes, monsters need sleep too, as well as our nourishment from the fears of human children. Besides, I've got a second mortgage to pay off, so I'm working overtime. Second, I noticed the typo as soon as I hit the "post comment" button, but LJ doesn't appear to allow one to edit an anonymous comment.

Just to let you know, sometimes we haunt grown-ups' beds too. And that's like the chicken pox, it gets worse with age. But I like you. You were a cute kid, and never peed the bed when I scared you (lord, I hate when the little brats do that), but I'm the forgiving kind of monster, and I'm currently working through an anger management program, so I'll let it slide this time.

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

might i add?

[thedarksiren.livejournal.com]

Please!

I just added you and left a comment in the community letting you know! ~8)

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

ok you are all set. happy reading. hope i dont fail your first impression!

[thedarksiren.livejournal.com]

Likewise, I'm sure!~;)

[nomadoh.livejournal.com]

Awesome! What a freaky cute little thing! When will they be available in my local pet store? ;) Man, a full grown aye-aye sitting and staring out my window would really freak out the neighbors...hehehe
:D

[thedarksiren.livejournal.com]

They seem pretty fesity, honestly, not to mention they're endangered, so pet-status = not likely.

I've always wanted a flying squirrel or something. I just miss having pets in general down here. I've NEVER lived without an animal in the house. If all goes well, I may just get a pet rat or something once I move up into the apartment next fall. We'll see!

[gloompixie.livejournal.com]

Both creepy and cute! I love it.