Slow lorises are a group of several species of nocturnal strepsirrhine primates that make up the genus Nycticebus. Found in Southeast Asia and nearby areas, they range from Bangladesh and Northeast India in the west to the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines in the east, and from Yunnan province in China in the north to the island of Java in the south. Although many previous classifications ...
There are 8 species of slow loris which vary in colour, size and distribution. This includes the Sunda slow loris, Bengal slow loris, Javan slow loris, Philippine slow loris, Bangka slow loris, Bornean slow loris, Kayan River slow loris and Sumatran slow loris. Their size vary by species, but range from 18 to 38 cm (7 to 15.0 inches) in length and 265 grams to 2,100 grams in weight. They’re ...
Loris, any of about 11 species of tail-less or short-tailed South and Southeast Asian forest primates. Arboreal and nocturnal, they curl up to sleep by day. They have soft gray or brown fur, huge eyes encircled by dark patches, and short index fingers. The Javan slow loris is the world’s only venomous primate.
Slow lorises are a study in contradictions. With wide eyes and furry bodies, these slow-moving, pint-sized primates look like cuddly stuffed animals. But their venom-filled bites can rot flesh and cause anaphylactic shock in humans. Those chomps are a helpful defense against predators, but these territorial tree-dwellers primarily use them on other slow lorises—a rare behavior among mammals.
When threatened, the slow loris licks venom secreted from a gland under its arm. Licked and loaded, the loris is ready to poison an attacker with a bite.