Area of zoo
Enclosure status
Open
IUCN status
Endangered
Scientific name
Nycticebus pygmaeus
Order
Primates
Type
Mammals
Family
Lorisidae
Region
Vietnam, Laos, eastern Cambodia and southern China
Habitat
Rainforests and bamboo thickets
Pygmy slow loris facts
Venomous primates
Pygmy slow lorises are one of the only mammals to produce a toxin.
They're able to give a venomous bite and by grooming their babies they can protect them from predators.
Slow lorises have two tongues, a long upper one for slurping nectar and a smaller lower one which they use like a toothbrush to clean their teeth.
What do pygmy slow lorises eat?
They mostly eat fruits, tree gum, insects and small vertebrates.
Pygmy slow loris threats
Pygmy slow lorises are often caught up in the illegal wildlife trade because of their perceived 'cuteness'.
Pygmy slow loris conservation
Pygmy slow lorises are an EDGE species. At ZSL, we're investing in wildlife conservation at a grass-roots level for the species, to help protect the them and raise awareness for their conservation in their native range and beyond.