DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIOR IN A YOUNG AYE-AYE (DAUBENTONIA-MADAGASCARIENSIS) IN CAPTIVITY

This paper provides descriptive and quantitative information on the de velopment of a young aye-aye in captivity during its first 10 months o f life. The mother's behaviour was observed to provide an adult standa rd against which to evaluate the young male's development. Early devel opment of the young aye-aye (including early vocalizations, locomotion and manipulation, acquisition of independence from the mother, threat /defence and alarm) is described in qualitative terms. Quantitative da ta on a number of other behaviours were collected using focal-animal s ampling. Overall, this study indicated that the young aye-aye is relat ively poorly developed during the 2-month nest phase but shows rapid d evelopment in comparison to other primates once it has left the nest.