Slow Loris Saved from being Eaten

A wild female Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) was rescued from being eaten after a local lady found her in the hands of some fisherman who had illegally poached her from the wild and were going to eat her. We do not often hear of lorises being eaten in this area of Thailand so it was a surprise to us when heard her story. After being given health check by our vet team, thankfully this little one is in good health after her dreadful ordeal and is currently recovering in the WFFT Wildlife Hospital.

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.

She will spend a further few days at the WFFT Wildlife Rescue Hospital under observation. If it is deemed that she I healthy enough to return back to the forest, we release her into a protected forest area where suitable loris habitat exists far away from the dangers of men.