Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Aye-aye
AYE-AYE
(
Daubentonia madagascariensis
) This gargoyle of a lemur is Madagas-
car's most bizarre mammal. Many people think aye-ayes are small, but in fact they
are larger than a domestic cat and have huge bushy tails. However, it is their face and
hands that make them unique; with teeth like a rabbit's, ears like a bat's and fingers
likeEdwardScissorhands'thereisnothingelsetocompare.Oncethoughttobeonthe
brink of extinction but now known to be quite widespread (though still rare), it is the-
oretically possible to see one in many reserves. The chances are extremely slight but
you could get lucky.
Theirsexlivesvary,butmostofthesespecieshavefamilygroupsinwhichasinglemale
dominates. The most social lemurs on the island are those with a more varied diet con-
centrating on fruit, but also including seeds, buds and eaves. These include the ring-tailed
lemur, ruffed lemur and true lemurs. The diet of these species requires active foraging over
large areas during the day, so in order to defend their expansive territory, and to protect
themselves in daylight, these lemurs form troops. The societies are run by matriarchs, who
organise the troop's movement, courtship and defence. But there are also whole groups of
males, which often separate for week-long excursions away from the home base. Usually
operating in more open country, these lemurs use a wide range of visual signals to accom-
pany their scents and sounds, making them particularly entertaining to watch.
THE BATS OF MADAGASCAR
Richard Jenkins, Madagasikara Voakajy
DIVERSITY
Bats make a significant contribution to tropical diversity but in Mad-
agascar they have only recently received the concerted attention of biologists. New
species of Malagasy bat continue to be discovered. Five new endemic bats have been
described since 2004, bringing the total to at least 37 species (24 of which are thought
to be endemic) with a further six currently in the process of being formally described.
The megachiropterans (fruit bats) are represented by three endemic species (
Pteropus
rufus, Eidolon dupreanum
and
Rousettus madagascariensis);
they feed on flowers,
fruitsandleaves.Sixfamiliesofinsectivorousmicrochiropterans(
ramanavy,kinakina
or
kananavy
inMalagasy)arealsofoundinMadagascar,includingtheendemicfamily
of sucker-footed bats (genus
Myzopoda
).
CONSERVATION
Bats are threatened in Madagascar from habitat loss, persecution
(asfruitcroppestsandunwantedhouseguests),hunting(bushmeat)androostsitedis-
turbance. Bats are not protected under Malagasy law and only populations inside re-
