Status: Endangered

Interesting Facts: This species was first sighted in 1895. Was very common and often caught by locals as sold as pets. However, slow loris can bite hard and will hold tenaciously. There are reports where slow loris seized in pet trade had its teeth grinded. Today, slow loris remains in small population in our native forest.

Size: 27-30cm

Diet: Insects, supplemented with fruits.

Activity: Shy nocturnal creature, largely arboreal. Usually solitary but may be seen in pairs or with a young.

Habitat: Rainforest; More or less confined to the Central Catchment Area and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

Threats: Illegal poaching and habitat destruction.

Did You Know: Slow loris is the only venomous primates in the world. Captive studies have shown that this species produces a kind of toxin, from the brachial gland on the arm. When mixed with saliva, it can repels its natural predators. Mothers cover their babies with saliva when they leave them, probably to repel predators. Nycticebus may also use biting as a way of delivering the toxin. The toxin apparently gets into the saliva when the animal licks its brachial glands. The narrow spaces between the teeth of the toothcomb in the lower jaw act as capillaries, drawing the saliva and toxin into whatever the animal is biting.