Aye-aye

Every odd part of Madagascar's aye-aye belongs to one foraging kit. It taps on wood with a slender, flexible, elongated middle finger, listening for hollow spaces under the bark where grubs hide, and its large, naked ears are thought to sharpen that hearing. Ever-growing incisors, coated with enamel only on the front, then gnaw through to the prey. In effect it fills the niche a woodpecker would. Sadly, the same spooky look has cost it: some people in Madagascar kill aye-ayes on sight as crop pests or bad omens.