The Aye-aye, Bringer of Death
In parts of Madagascar, people say that if an aye-aye points its long, thin middle finger at you, you will die.
What was reported
The aye-aye is a lemur of Madagascar's rainforests, active at night, with huge eyes, big leathery ears, coarse dark fur and a strangely long, bony middle finger. It taps on branches with that finger, listening for grubs inside, then gnaws open the wood and hooks them out.
In some regions, people believed it was an omen of death, and that if one pointed its finger at someone, that person was doomed. Aye-ayes were often killed on sight.
Explanations offered
The aye-aye's looks and its tapping at night made it seem uncanny. Its finger is an adaptation for finding food, a niche filled by woodpeckers elsewhere. It's endangered, partly because of persecution, and now protected.
- When
- Believed for generations
- Where
- Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar
- Witnesses
- Villagers in Madagascar, and zoologists
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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