|
|
Slow lorises are small nocturnal primates that live in Southeast Asian rainforests. There are 5 different species all considered either vulnerable or endangered by the International Union for Conservation (IUCN). The hands and feet of the lorises have adapted to their environment, such as pincher-like grip which allows them to grasp branches for a long period of time and eat while hanging upside down. Many slow lorises have their teeth removed by the traffickers because they have a toxic bite. This process is done to help make the lorises more manageable and a safer ‘pet’ for humans.
Slow lorises need vines and lianas due to its unique movement adaptations, although it can cross short open spaces on the ground as well. The majority of the forest areas containing the lorises are effectively isolated by several kilometres of unsuitable habitat. This lack of connectivity between the projected areas poses a threat to their population. Around 2/3 of the populations’ habitat has been lost to logging and agricultural pursuits.
Social, economic factors and traditional beliefs are a few of the many factors that are involved in driving the slow loris trade. Since 1900, thousands of lorises have been captured per year for traditional medicine in Southeast Asia. They are used in medicine because hunters believe that lorises can heal their bones immediately after falling off a tree and that they have medicinal powers. The indigenous tribes of islands believe that slow lorises were the gatekeepers of the heavens and each person has a ‘personal’ slow loris waiting for them in the afterlife.
Pet trade is one of the biggest threats for the survival of the slow lorises. Thailand is one of the countries that dress up the slow lorises to take pictures of them and sell them to tourists. People find them extremely adorable, and pay the traffickers, not realising the harm. Feeling pity and buying the loris also further perpetuates the endless crime cycle - the traffickers get money to just obtain a new loris.
Often whole families of slow lorises are illegally taken into animal markets to be ‘pets’. Before it is sold as a pet, they are poached from the wild. The next stage is cutting their teeth without any anaesthetics, as it makes it easier to handle the animal and protect humans from their venomous bite. this can cause serious infections and the inability for the lorises to survive and/or return to the wild. The last step is transporting the animals in dark, poorly ventilated containers. This transfer causes stress, where many slow lorises die (the mortality rate is around 30-90%). Poor nutrition, infection, tooth decay, obesity, kidney failure and pneumonia are all contributing factors of death.
It is illegal to import slow lorises for commercial purposes in most countries, but they still remain a popular pet or trade object. The Love Wildlife Foundation Thailand is encouraging the conservation of the slow loris through education programs, talking to schools and the Youth Ecological Network (YEN). They also raise awareness to the general public of their plight. The Love Wildlife Foundation is working in collaboration with Professor Anna Nekaris and the Little Fireface Projects to help the slow lorises, especially in Thailand. They are also fighting to keep the slow lorises free in their natural habitats and improve the well-being of the ones captivate with the Thai Development of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).
To find out more check out the Love Wildlife Foundation website
Slow lorises need vines and lianas due to its unique movement adaptations, although it can cross short open spaces on the ground as well. The majority of the forest areas containing the lorises are effectively isolated by several kilometres of unsuitable habitat. This lack of connectivity between the projected areas poses a threat to their population. Around 2/3 of the populations’ habitat has been lost to logging and agricultural pursuits.
Social, economic factors and traditional beliefs are a few of the many factors that are involved in driving the slow loris trade. Since 1900, thousands of lorises have been captured per year for traditional medicine in Southeast Asia. They are used in medicine because hunters believe that lorises can heal their bones immediately after falling off a tree and that they have medicinal powers. The indigenous tribes of islands believe that slow lorises were the gatekeepers of the heavens and each person has a ‘personal’ slow loris waiting for them in the afterlife.
Pet trade is one of the biggest threats for the survival of the slow lorises. Thailand is one of the countries that dress up the slow lorises to take pictures of them and sell them to tourists. People find them extremely adorable, and pay the traffickers, not realising the harm. Feeling pity and buying the loris also further perpetuates the endless crime cycle - the traffickers get money to just obtain a new loris.
Often whole families of slow lorises are illegally taken into animal markets to be ‘pets’. Before it is sold as a pet, they are poached from the wild. The next stage is cutting their teeth without any anaesthetics, as it makes it easier to handle the animal and protect humans from their venomous bite. this can cause serious infections and the inability for the lorises to survive and/or return to the wild. The last step is transporting the animals in dark, poorly ventilated containers. This transfer causes stress, where many slow lorises die (the mortality rate is around 30-90%). Poor nutrition, infection, tooth decay, obesity, kidney failure and pneumonia are all contributing factors of death.
It is illegal to import slow lorises for commercial purposes in most countries, but they still remain a popular pet or trade object. The Love Wildlife Foundation Thailand is encouraging the conservation of the slow loris through education programs, talking to schools and the Youth Ecological Network (YEN). They also raise awareness to the general public of their plight. The Love Wildlife Foundation is working in collaboration with Professor Anna Nekaris and the Little Fireface Projects to help the slow lorises, especially in Thailand. They are also fighting to keep the slow lorises free in their natural habitats and improve the well-being of the ones captivate with the Thai Development of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).
To find out more check out the Love Wildlife Foundation website