The Real Animals of Madagascar Madagascar—an island off the coast of Africa—has some of the world's most interesting animals. About 75 percent of the species found in Madagascar live nowhere else on the planet. Below are some of the better known animals in Madagascar. Lemurs | Other mammals | Birds | Reptiles | Frogs | Insects Aye-aye Take the ears of a bat and the teeth of a rat, add a long bony middle finger and huge eyes and you have yourself the aye-aye. This nocturnal lemur lives in the rainforests of Madagascar and feeds on insect larvae that it finds by tapping on tree bark with its stick-like middle finger. As it taps, the aye-aye listens for movement indicative of insects and gnaws away at the wood when it hears something appetizing. Today the aye-aye is highly threatened by habitat loss (rainforest destruction) and hunting. In some areas, local people believe the aye-aye brings bad luck and will kill the animal whenever they encounter it. MORE Bamboo lemur Bamboo lemurs feed on bamboo and are generally found in the rainforests and cloud forests of Madagascar (two species are found outside these areas). MORE Black lemur The black lemur lives in the tropical forests of northern Madagascar. Black lemurs are notable for the differences between the sexes. Males are black while females have reddish-brown fur with a black and white face. Black lemurs feed on fruit, flowers, and young leaves. Read More