Ala, a female aye-aye from Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo, arrived in Jersey on Friday as part of a breeding programme with Durrell where it is hoped she will enjoy a fling with Pan – a male that lives in the Island.
Six-year-old Ala is currently under observation in quarantine to allow her to become used to her new surroundings before she will be introduced to Pan.
The mammals, which are the world’s largest nocturnal primate are facing extinction largely due to deforestation in its native African home.
They are also regularly killed as they are seen as a symbol of death in Madagascar.
Ueno Zoo, which currently keeps nine aye-ayes, is the only breeding facility in Asia to have successfully bred lemur and have successfully had seven births in captivity. The zoo has said that it hopes Ala will fall pregnant to preserve the genetic diversity of the animal.
Dom Wormell, head of mammals at Durrell said: ‘There is a lot to be learned about the aye-ayes breeding behaviour and research is ongoing here at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. It’s really important to carry out long-term research. We are fully expecting Ala to breed in the future.
‘Her import is a great boost for the captive breeding programme in Europe. Aye-ayes are really fantastic animals.’
A Ueno Zoological Gardens official told Japan Asahi Shimbum newspaper that they hoped that Ala ‘gives birth to healthy babies and will deliver happy news to us’.
