• The aye-aye, a lemur species native to Madagascar, has a finger that is 8 centimetres in length.
• It joins the ranks of 11 other monkey species besides humans that have been observed sneaking a finger up their noses.
• The origins of the nose picking are still a mystery.

A unusual and peculiar monkey was spotted with its long finger jammed up its nostril. This specific aye-aye, a lemur species native to Madagascar, has a finger that is 8 centimetres in length, and it has extended all the way.

A variety of monkey species engage in the humiliating behaviour of picking their noses, but its precise origin is still a mystery.
Genetics play a role; the aye-aye joins the ranks of 11 other monkey species besides humans that have been observed sneaking a finger up their noses.

A number of popular apes, including gorillas and chimpanzees, are included.

The aye-aye is an endangered bird with six fingers on each hand, one of which is a pseudo thumb that functions similarly to a human thumb.

A very long finger on the six-part paw is employed to remove grubs off trees, or, as it turns out, from their noses.

“It’s surprising because aye-ayes are such a well-known species; surely someone would have heard of it by now.”

Further, he said, “We were in for an even larger surprise when we used CT scanning to see how the nose picking works internally, and the result was mind-blowing.

The reconstruction astonished us because it showed that the aye-finger aye’s could extend between its nostrils and nearly to the base of its throat.

Journal of Zoology released the riches from the study of one particular aye-aye, known as Kali.

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