Electrocuted Slow Loris Arrives

A few days ago some concerned locals brought a badly injured Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) to the WFFT Wildlife Rescue Hospital for urgent treatment. The loris in question had been found on the ground after he had been electrocuted while climbing on exposed power lines.

The Bengal Slow Loris is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This is due to loss of habitat and severe pressures from hunting, there is more than 30% reduction in population over three generations. The species is predicted to decline by more than 30% in the next three generations over its entire range due to continuing hunting pressures and loss of habitat. The major threats that this species’ habitat faces include farming, timber removal, human settlement, road building, dams, power lines, fragmentations, soil loss and erosion, and deliberately set fires. They are hunted and traded for food, traditional “medicine”, sport, and as pets.

The skin and muscle tissue on his right arm was almost completely burned away to the bone and irreparable, so the decision was made to amputate this arm, the surgery was performed yesterday afternoon. Surprisingly this little one is eating well and seems to be recovering. He is definitely not out of the woods yet. We will keep you posted on his progress.