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DISTRIBUTION
Slow Lorises live in the rainforests of
southeast Asia, Assam, Burma, Thailand, Indo-China, certain
Malayan states and East Indian Islands. Slow lorises are arboreal
primates, occupying the canopies of the Malayan rainforest.
They are almost never observed out of the treetops. |
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DESCRIPTION
The Slow Loris is covered with short, thick,
woolly fur, which is found in a wide variety of colors and patterns.
Generally, the color above is from light brownish gray to deep
reddish brown. The color beneath ranges from white to buffy
to grayish. There is usually a dark mid-line along the neck
and back, and a light streak between the eyes.
Slow lorises have a very short, stubby tail
that is entirely concealed by its fur.The face is rounded, with
large eyes and small ears. The fingers and toes are short and
thick, and the second toe on each hind foot has a long grooming
claw. Length of head and body is 9 to 15 inches, and it weighs
1 to 3.3 pounds. The big toe on the hind foot is set well apart
from the other toes, demonstrating great gripping power. Lorises
have more vertebrae in their backs, giving them a greater tree-climbing
advantage since they can twist around above and below branches
with wide range and extension of movement.
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DIET
Slow lorises are nocturnal predators and feed
mainly on insects, bird eggs, and young birds or sleeping birds
and mammals. They will readily eat fruits and other parts of plants,
however. They move slowly toward their prey so as not to frighten
it away, but once they are within striking range, lorises move quickly
to subdue their prey. The grip of the slow loris's hind feet is
so strong that it often gathers food hanging upside down using its
front hands to capture and hold prey. |
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their secretive and nocturnal lifestyles make them difficult
to observe, accurate population estimates have been difficult
to obtain. |
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LIFE CYCLE/SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
Slow lorises are mainly solitary and mark trees
with their urine to avoid direct conflict with other individuals.
This is done by urinating on their hands and wiping it onto tree
trunks and branches. They are completely nocturnal and sleep during
the day curled up in hollow trees, crevices, or simply along a branch.
Despite their usual slow movements, Slow Lorises are quite capable
of rapid locomotion, especially when disturbed or in search of food.
They have been observed to make sharp twittering noises when annoyed.
Lorises may protect
themselves and their young using a toxin. Captive studies have
shown that this species produces a toxin, a polypeptide, from
the brachial gland on the arm. The toxin is usually present, but
sometimes it is inhibited by other substances secreted by the
gland. When mixed with saliva, it repels at least some predators
(it has been tested with a variety of cats, sun bears, and Paradoxurus).
Mothers cover their babies with saliva when they leave them, probably
to repel predators. Lorises 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 in the lower jaw act as capillaries, drawing the saliva
and toxin into whatever the animal is biting. While the activity
and use of the toxin need to be examined in the field, native
peoples of Indonesia regard the Slow Loris as venomous.
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REPRODUCTION
Slow lorises breed at any time of the year.
Females give birth after a gestation period of 193 days, usually
to one offspring (sometimes two) Their life span is at least
10-20 years. The young will attach itself to its mother's
fur (anywhere on the mother's body, depending on how the mother
is travelling). The young then remain passengers until they
are nearly as large as the mother. |
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COMMUNICATION
Lorises "chitter" when disturbed.Click
here to listen to a the chitter of several female lorises. |
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INTERESTING FACTS
1. When lorises are on the ground, they move
with a wavering trot.
2. Slow lorises may not be swift, but they are
accomplished climbers and are able to hang from branches by their
feet alone.
3. Natives have many strange superstitions
and beliefs about the slow loris. Lorises or parts of them are claimed
to have remarkable powers of good and evil. In addition, their fur
is said to speed the healing of wounds; if a ship carries one as
a mascot, it is never without wind to propel it. Dead or alive,
lorises were supposed to have power over the lives of human beings.
The lorises themselves were believed to be unhappy because they
were constantly seeing ghosts (which people believed is why they
always bury their heads in their hands. |
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