The
slow lorises are three species of
loris and are classified as the genus
Nycticebus. These slow moving
strepsirrhine primates range from
Borneo and the southern
Philippines in
Southeast Asia, through
Bangladesh,
Vietnam, Southern
China (
Yunnan area) and
Thailand.
Adult slow lorises range in size from 21 to 38 cm, depending on the species, and weigh up to 2 kilograms. The tail is a mere stump. The short, thick fur can have a variety of colours, mostly grey-reddish and often with whitish undertones. They have well developed thumbs, which they use to grasp and hold fast to branches, and a very flexible back. The eyes are large and point forward, and the ears are small and nearly hidden in the fur. They are generally more strongly built than the
slender lorises.
Like all lorises, slow lorises are
nocturnal and
arboreal animals that prefer the tops of the trees. Also, they have slow, deliberate movements and a powerful grasp that makes them very difficult to remove from branches. They live as solitaries or in small family groups, and mark their territory with urine.
Slow lorises can produce a toxin which they mix with their saliva and use as protection against enemies. Mothers will lick this toxin onto their offspring before leaving them to search for food. The toxin is produced by glands on the insides of their elbows. The lorises lick or suck it into their mouths and deliver it when they bite. The toxin is not known to be fatal to humans, but causes a painful swelling.
Slow lorises are opportunistic
carnivores, typically eating insects, bird eggs and small vertebrates. With their slow quiet movements, they creep to their prey, in order to catch it with a lightning-quick snatch. They also eat fruits, but rarely.
After an approximately 190-day
gestation, the female births one (or rarely two) young. The newborn clasps itself to the belly of the mother or the father. When it is older it will be "parked" on a branch while its parent searches for food. After approximately nine months it is weaned. The life expectancy of the slow loris is up to 14 years.
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