Slow Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus)
Dying of cuteness
The Slow Loris is a mammal which is indigenous to Asia to India, but mostly south-eastern Asia. The Slow Loris is also one of few poisonous mammals alive today.
Captive Loris
A captive Loris eats a rice ball, notice how stressed and sad it looks.
Loris in the wild
Baby Lori
Two baby Loris' chill on a branch
There are many species of Loris, there's the Pygmy Slow Loris, the Sunda Slow Loris, the Bengal Slow Loris, Javan Slow Loris, the Bornean Slow Loris, and the Slender Lori, Red Slender Lori and the Gray Slender Lori. All located around South-East Asia, and All threatened by the pet trade in Vietnam, Laos, China, and other places of South-East Asia. The main reason the Loris is vulnerable is because of the pet trade. Poachers capture the Loris, using it for tourist attractions, medicine, it's fur, or food. For those Loris captured and kept as pets or tourist attractions, their teeth are clipped or pulled out all together, causing infection or death. The Sunda, Pygmy, Bengal, Bornean are vulnerable in the conservation chart, while the Red Slender Loris is endangered and the Gray Slender Loris is of least concern, the Javan Slow Loris is critically endagered. The Red Slender Loris is hunted for it's remedies for eye diseases, and is also killed by snakes, dogs, road kill, electric wires, and some fish.
Bengal Slow Loris
Javan Slow Loris
Loris Chillin'
Loris' have special capillaries in their hands and feet that allow them to hang from branches for hours without losing feeling in either limb.
Gray Slender Loris
Colour Differentiation in the 4 main Lori
The Pygmy Slow Loris on top, the Sunda on bottom. the Gray Slender on the left and the Red Slender Loris on the right.
Red Slender Loris
Although their cute appearance, the Slow Loris' poisonous bite is strong enough to kill humans, but that's not why they're dying out. The Slow Loris' extremely large eyes and it's 'smile' make it a large target for tourists looking for something cute, they're also taken from the wild and kept as pets to most people, which when in captivity, their life expectancy drops significantly due to high stress levels and infections where their teeth were cut, so they couldn't bite their owners. Slow Lori became popular and known when pop singer Rihanna posted a picture of herself on Twitter, holding an illegal Loris. As well as singer Lady GaGa, claiming one bit her on the set of a music video. People also hunt the Loris for it's eyes aswell, selling them on the black market. The Loris is also extremely sensitive to light and when held captive, is left in broad daylight for hours at a time, only furthering their stress levels. Another great factor is that captive Lori have a difficult time breeding, or don't attempt at all, so their population is declining. You would think that the Lori would be bred in nurseries, but not because they're in captivity. Also, many people in Phuket, Thailand, capture these animals and use them as a tourist attraction, even though it's illegal in Thailand. But before their capturers allow the public to access these creatures, they pull out or cut their teeth, preventing the Loris from biting the customers, poisoning and possibly killing. Not only are the poachers and other bad people killing the Loris, it's also us, our pollution and deforestation projects are killing the Loris faster than they can breed. The Loris only breeds up to every 12-18 months, producing 2 offspring, that is if they aren't in captivity