10 Nocturnal Animals with Extraordinary Night Vision

4. Aye-Aye

The aye-aye is a one-of-a-kind lemur from Madagascar, instantly recognizable for its unusual look and nocturnal lifestyle. With its large eyes and sensitive ears, it’s built for navigating the dark, relying on sharp night vision and acute hearing to find food. But what really sets the aye-aye apart is its long, skinny middle finger, which it uses like a built-in sonar system—tapping on trees to detect insect larvae hiding inside. Once it pinpoints its prey, it gnaws through the wood with its sharp teeth and digs them out. This bizarre but effective hunting method makes the aye-aye one of the most fascinating creatures of the night. Despite being a vital part of the ecosystem as a natural pest controller, it’s often misunderstood and faces threats from habitat loss, making conservation efforts all the more important.