Pygmy Slow Loris at the San Diego Zoo

Living up to its name, the pygmy slow loris is both small—reaching a mere nine inches in length—and methodically slow, ambling along branches on all fours. Its hands and feet are über dexterous. The loris is able to hang motionless, a skill facilitated by extra main-limb vascular bundles called retia mirabilia that allow blood to flow to its extremities, so the animal doesn’t experience “pins and needles” from lack of circulation. It grasps small branches with an iron grip, even as a predator tries to pry it off. During warm months, the pygmy slow loris is on the move throughout most of the night, moseying quadrupedally, stretching from one branch (or tree) to the next; it rarely comes to the ground. Slow lorises can actually move faster than other loris species, covering nearly five miles in a night! During chilly months, they may enter a state of torpor, living off their fat reserves and moving very little.

Before you say “I want one” or even click “like” on one of the countless internet videos, know that the illegal pet trade is one of the most horrific threats to lorises—and they make terrible pets! As noted, they are nocturnal, so bright light is highly stressful for them. Thousands of slow lorises are poached from the wild using spotlights shone into the trees. The light reflects off the animals’ tapetum lucidum, a mirror-like structure in the eye that improves night vision, and disorients them as the “hunter” nabs them. Worst of all, the little animal’s teeth are cut using nail clippers, wire cutters, or pliers (with no anesthesia), so the buyer won’t be bitten. The animals are transported in dark, overcrowded, poorly ventilated containers, and many of them die along the way. People who keep lorises cannot feed them appropriately, resulting in disease, distress, and early death for the animals. Loris poaching is a savage black market that informed, compassionate consumers want no part of. International Animal Rescue launched the “Tickling Is Torture” campaign to combat viral videos and “cute” photos of slow lorises being kept as pets, which perpetuates the illegal trade of slow lorises. Awareness is key. These fascinating animals belong in the forest, not under glaring lights getting combed with a toothbrush for social media.

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The San Diego Zoo is home to three pygmy slow lorises: 15-year-old Minh, 5-year-old Abhi, and a 10-year-old female, Padma. They are in a cozy, nocturnal, off-exhibit breeding area, as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP) program. Primary keepers Rochelle Willison and Matthew Bearden pay keen attention to the animals’ health and welfare, and go to great lengths to keep the little primates engaged.

In the early morning, keepers entice the lorises with a spoonful of apple sauce—a loris favorite—in order to examine them and document their weights. “We look to see if they moved stuff around and used their enrichment during the night,” explained Rochelle, who has a genuine passion for these animals. “They can be feisty little things, too!” By night, the lorises enjoy an array of fruit, crickets, mealworms, hard-boiled eggs, and a bit of baby food. Their room is kept around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, which suits them. Keepers provide novel scents, hanging hammocks, toys, and small animal beds to keep things interesting. “They hide out, ‘tucking’ during the day, which is another way to tell if they’re healthy,” added Rochelle.

Both keepers noted that the illegal pet trade poses a grave threat to these beguiling animals. “They have so many unique traits,” said Matthew. We need to “get them in the eye of the public, so people understand the threats they face.” Humans can be the solution, or the problem. It’s up to each one of us.

Full article: http://bit.ly/PygmySlowLoris