Slow lorises are a group of nocturnal Strepsirhine primates, mostly found in Southeast Asia, ranging from the Indo-China border to Java and the Philippines.
Because they have similarities with Sloths, many people think these two are the same; in reality, slow lorises differ from sloths. Slow lorises are Primates, and sloths are Xenarthra.
Here, we discuss 7 interesting facts about slow lorises that will surprise you.
7 Interesting Facts About Slow Lorises:
- Slow Lorises Are Found In Southeast Asia:
Slow lorises are mainly found in tropical and subtropical regions, high and dense canopies. They are found in primary and secondary rainforests, bamboo groves, and mangrove forests.
Slow lorises are found in Northeast India, Bangladesh, Java, the Philippines, Indonesia, Burma, Singapore, and other countries. Currently, 7 recognised species are found and spread in the mentioned region.
- Slow lorises are faster than Sloths:
Slow lorises are faster than sloths as slow lorises can run at a speed of 2 kmph, whereas a sloth can move at a speed of 1 kmph. Slow lorises are still slow and one of the slowest animals around the world.
Being nocturnal, slow lorises are usually active at night and increase their speed to hunt prey. Their metabolism is also slow but not as slow as sloths.
- Slow lorises are neither friendly nor aggressive.
Slow lorises are generally solitary animals. They are neither friendly nor jealous of other animals, even humans, as they are fully concentrated on themselves.
Slow lorises don’t attack or bite human beings or other animals. However, slow lorises bite humans with their venomous canine teeth if threatened.
- Slow lorises are very poisonous:
The bites of slow lorises are very strong and painful. They have a unique biting style and deliver venoms into the predator’s body.
The bites of slow lorises are no joke. The bite can injure any healthy adult human being. Their bites can result in necrosis (death of the tissue) and death of the person if not treated.
The glands at their upper arms secrete toxic venoms, which pool in grooves on their canine teeth. Hence, slow lorises are not safe for children and old people, or adults.
- Slow lorises raise their hands as defensive postures:
You can often find images of slow lorises raising their hands, and it is a part of their defensive mechanism. Whenever these primates sense threat, they raise their arms to lick the glands and import venoms in their canine teeth.
- The Sizes of Males and Females are similar:
Slow lorises are smaller in size, and the Bengal slow lorises are the largest among all the species. These lorises are 10-15 inches (or 21-31 cms) long from head to tail and weigh around 2.2-4.6 lbs (or 1-2.1 kg).
Slow lorises don’t show any sexual dimorphism or physical differneces between males and females are almost absent. The only way you can differentiate a male and female slow loris is by their genitalia.
The average lifespan of a slow loris in the wild is 15-20 years. However, in captivity, they can live up to 30 years.
- Slow lorises are omnivorous:
Being omnivorous, slow lorises consume fruits, leaves, berries, as well as insects and their larvae, tree gum, snails, spiders, small bird eggs, small lizards, nectar, etc. However, during winter seasons, they entirely depend on sap and tree gum to enhance their energy.
It is worth remembering that the number of slow lorises in the wild is decreasing rapidly, and IUCN has given them an Endangered status. The main reasons behind their declining numbers are illegal wildlife trading, poaching, and logging.
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