The slow loris lives in Southeast Asia, mainly on the islands of Sumatra, Java and Borneo. Their ranges also extend northward onto the Malay Peninsula, throughout Malaysia and into the southern parts of Thailand and Myanmar (Burma).

Reproduction
Reproductive habits of the slow loris in the wild have not been well documented. Females reach sexual maturity between 18 months and 2 years of age; males are capable of reproduction at 17 months.

Life Cycle
Evidence suggests that the slow loris breeds continuously throughout the year, with females carrying their young for about six months. Females normally give birth to one offspring, although twins have been documented. Young slow loris cling to their mothers and are weaned after about six months.

Male slow lorises are extremely territorial. They are also intolerant of other males, which is evident in the way they mark their territory with their own urine. As juvenile males mature to 1 year of age, adult males will even chase their sons away from the family group.

Get a Grip!
The slow loris is a powerful primate despite its relatively small size. As an arboreal creature, it spends most of its time above the ground and is capable of maintaining its strong grip on tree branches high above the forest floor for extended periods of time. The loris is able to accomplish this feat because of unique adaptations. For example, the loris possesses enlarged opposable thumbs on its hands and long toes on its feet that are perpendicular to its other digits. This creates a strong grip for all of its limbs. The slow loris also has special blood storage channels in the vessels of its hands and feet. These channels ensure that a steady supply of blood is allocated to the creature’s extremities. This allows the slow loris to contract its muscles for long periods of time without fatigue.

Walk This Way
The slow loris has a unique way of traversing branches and limbs. To move forward, it uses a “hand-over-foot” movement in which it first extends and places one hand, followed by the foot from the same side of the body as the hand. Then, the loris does the same with the opposite hand and foot in a forward motion. Because of this well-coordinated “hand-over-foot” movement, it travels steadily and deliberately through the trees. Since its movements appear slow and loping, it lends itself to this animal’s name.

My, What Big Eyes You Have…
The slow loris is a nocturnal primate. During the daylight hours, it sleeps curled up in trees, in bamboo clumps, or on branches. Loris eyes are characteristic of the creature’s nocturnal habits—they are large and round. At night, when the slow loris is active, this special adaptation helps maximize the amount of light that enters its eyes.

The slow loris, along with other prosimians such as galagos, can be seen in the Night Exhibit at Woodland Park Zoo (WPZ). WPZ also has pygmy lorises that are currently off exhibit. The Night Exhibit also features other primates such as the douroucoulis (night or owl monkeys). WPZ highlights many additional primates in naturalistic exhibits. For example, visitors can see orangutans, siamangs and lion-tailed macaques in Tropical Asia, while gorillas, red-ruffed lemurs and black and white colobus are in the Tropical Rain Forest.

The slow loris is an endangered species, as it is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).** It is illegal to hunt or trade them.

While not all species of loris are endangered, many species in the family Lorisidae are vulnerable or near threatened. Additionally, for other loris species, there is insufficient data to determine their populations or status in the wild.

As the human population of southern Asia explodes, this increases its impact on natural habitat and wildlife. Logging companies cut down large areas of forest for timber and paper products, and industrial emissions pollute water and air resources. Farms and other agricultural activity continue to encroach on areas full of wildlife. The small areas of habitat left behind are often fragmented, forcing these animals to live in small, isolated pockets of forest separated by cultivation and open areas.

How You Can Help!
The effort to save endangered species requires cooperation and support at the international, national, regional and individual levels. You can help in this cause. Join and become active in Woodland Park Zoo and other conservation organizations of your choice. Please do not buy products made from wild animal parts. Contact your elected representatives and express your views about conservation of endangered species and wild habitats.

To find out about ways you can support conservation programs at the zoo contact Woodland Park Zoo at webkeeper@zoo.org. Learn other ways you can help conserve wildlife and the habitats they require for survival by visiting our How You Can Help page.

Sources and Suggested Reading
Groves, Colin. 1993. “Primates.” In: The Encyclopedia of Animals. Fog City Press, San Francisco, CA. 687 p.

“Loris.” 2007. In: Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved January 31, 2007, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online.

Nowak, Ronald M., ed. 1999. Walker’s Mammals of the World. 6th Edition. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London. 1,936 p.

http://www.loris-conservation.org/database/index.html

http://www.loris-conservation.org/database/population_database/tables/14b-threat.pdf

http://www.loris-conservation.org/database/Links/links.html

* Taxonomic classification varies between references. Classification information used in this fact sheet was taken from Mammal Species of the World, 3rd Edition, edited by Don E. Wilson and Dee Ann M. Reeder. 2005. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. 2,142 p.

**There are several international and federal agencies that determine the endangered status of species. WPZ designates a species as endangered if it is listed as endangered on the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Endangered Species List, or on Appendix I of CITES (Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna)..