Aye Mahnisi -

Organizations are working to protect the "centers of endemism" in northern Madagascar to ensure this unique evolutionary lineage—the last of its family—does not disappear. Quick Facts Scientific Name: Daubentonia madagascariensis

They have a very slow life history, with infants staying with their mothers for up to two years.

Strictly nocturnal and primarily solitary foragers. Diet: Includes wood-boring larvae, ramy nuts, and fungi.

Widespread forest degradation from agriculture continues to shrink their native range. Status: It is currently listed as Critically Endangered .

Despite being the most widely distributed lemur on the island, the Aye-aye faces critical threats.

For generations, the Aye-aye was a figure of fear in local Malagasy folklore. Many believed the animal was an ; sightings were thought to foretell tragedy, leading some to kill the animals on sight to ward off bad luck.