Would You Rather Have a Super-Long Finger or Super-Stretchy Tongue?

Aye-ayes are primates that live high up in the rainforests of Madagascar. That’s an island country in East Africa. At night, aye-ayes search for their favorite prey: insects that tunnel under tree bark. First, aye-ayes tap their long, clawed fingers against a tree. Then they listen. A hollow sound means there might be an insect tunnel! When they find the right spot, they dig into the wood. They slide their long middle fingers deep into the holes to grab their grub.

LENGTH
A tiny aye-aye’s middle finger is about 3 inches long. That would be like you having a finger longer than a soda can!

STRENGTH
The aye-aye’s finger may be extra long, but it can’t support much weight. You’d have to rely on your thumb and other digits to lift things if you had a finger like this.

SPECIAL MOVE
An aye-aye’s middle finger moves like a person’s arm. It can swivel in a full circle—perfect for scooping up dinner!

Chameleons are reptiles that mostly live in the deserts and rainforests of Africa and Asia. A special kind of slime covers chameleons’ tongues. It’s 400 times stickier than human spit! Chameleons keep their tongues folded up at the back of their throats. When they spot their prey—like bugs, lizards, even birds!—they shoot their tongues out. The tongue acts like a suction cup to nab the prey.

LENGTH
A chameleon’s tongue can stretch to twice its body length. If your tongue was like that, how long would it be?

STRENGTH
A chameleon uses its tongue to catch prey up to 30 percent as heavy as its body. That’s like using your tongue to lift a whole watermelon!

SPECIAL MOVE
Imagine a car going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in a split second. That’s how fast some species of chameleons can shoot their tongues out of their mouths!