Dublin Zoo is home to a new species of lemur - the aye-aye - which will live in the zoo's newest habitat, Nocturnal House.
The male and female primates, Peanut and Tahiri, arrived from Bristol Zoo last September, with their offspring.
Native to Madagascar, the aye-aye is the largest nocturnal primate and is related to monkeys, apes and humans.
The animals, with dark brown or black fur and a bushy tail longer than their body, have large eyes and ears and slender fingers, including a long middle finger that they use to tap on trees to listen for insects moving beneath the bark.
Once they have chewed through the wood with their incredibly strong teeth, the same finger is used to fish for the insects. It is also used to scoop the flesh from fruits.
Director of Dublin Zoo Dr Christoph Schwitzer said: "The aye-aye is a fascinating primate species, and every care has been taken to create a home for them here that takes inspiration from their natural environment in Madagascar.
"This new Nocturnal House, the first ever such house at Dublin Zoo, is a big step towards this goal."
The Nocturnal House mimics night-time conditions, allowing visitors to observe and learn about the aye-aye's active nature.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Dr Schwitzer said: "What we have done is reversed the light dark cycle, which means that during our day when our zoo visitors come to visit us, it's the aye-aye's night so people step into the complete dark, of course there are some guiding lights, so people don't fall over.
"But essentially you stand in the dark, you need to wait for a minute or two until your eyes are adjusted and then you will see the aye-aye's in all their beauty and glory."
An investment of more than €400,000 to convert an existing building into the new habitat was partly funded by the Government through the Office of Public Works.
The aye-aye is listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
Existential threats to the species include destruction of their natural habitat and unsustainable levels of hunting.
Some Madagascan people consider them to be an omen of bad luck, and the animal has often been killed on sight, although there are laws in place that make this illegal.
Dublin Zoo has supported lemur conservation in Madagascar since 2014.
