Slow Loris Rescued Before Being Eaten

A Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) was borught into WFFT a few days ago after being rescued by some local people. They had been out fishing and saw some people with a wild loris they had poached and had planned to eat it. They purchased the loris for 400.00 THB (12.00 USD) to prevent the people from eating it. The loris was then brought to the WFFT Wildlife Rescue Centre.

The Bengal slow loris is listed as Vulnerable (VU) by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, due to loss of habitat and severe pressures from hunting, there is more than 30% reduction in population over three generations. It 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.

After a health check by the WFFT Vet Team, he is a good health and he will spend a few days at the WFFT Wildlife Rescue Centre, then will be released back to wild. This little guy is one of the lucky ones, he will be released back to wild in a few days.