PYGMY SLOW LORIS
Images: Above, female "Romano"
below, male "Sinh"
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SCIENTIFIC NAME: Nycticebus pygmaeus
HOUSE NAME: Male "Sinh" Female "Romano"
HABITAT: Thick foliage tropical rain forests or bamboo groves in sothern Yunnan, Laous, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
CONSERVATION STATUS: Endangered
CONSERVATION RESOURCES:
Little Fireface Project
FUN FACT:
If threatened, the pygmy slow loris can emit a strong odor in an attempt to deter a predator. If the predator persists, the pygmy slow loris can produce a secretion that is toxic when mixed with saliva and would then proceed to attempt to bite the predator.
DESCRIPTION:
The slow loris gets its name from the Dutch word “loris” which means “clown” and its slow, sloth-like movements. This small-bodied primate is only about 10” long and has a vestigial tail. Weighing approximately 360-580 grams, they have dense, short, wooly brown/grey fur and occasionally have a faint midline dorsal stripe. The head is round with a small, pointed snout and large, moist, forward-facing eyes while the ears are almost completely hidden by the fur. The body is rounded and stocky with short limbs, and flat, bare palms. Like all primates, they have opposable thumbs for gripping and nails on all their digits. The nail on the second digit of the foot is elongated and rolled up to form a grooming claw. Aside from their long, sharp canines, they also have closely spaced incisors on the lower jaw that form a “tooth comb” which is helpful for removing insects, burrs, and snags from their pelts.