By Pericles (3rd Grade)
Do you know about the only venomous primate in the world? One day at the zoo, I saw a slow Loris and found it very interesting. I started research on slow lorises because it is endangered and it produces venom. If you want to learn more about these unusual creatures called slow Lorises, then this essay will satisfy your curiosity.
Slow Lorises are part of the Loris family and part of an even bigger family called the Strepsirrhini. Other families in the Strepsirrhini family include Lemurs, Propitheus, Daubentonia, Varecia, Microebus, Darwinus, and Otolemur. Slow Lorises live to about 25 years. Slow Lorises live in Southeast Asia. They live in many types of vegetations like bamboo forests, evergreen forests, and tropical rainforests. They live at the edge of vegetations to find food more easily. Slow Lorises live alone, this is unusual for primates because most of them, like gorillas and baboons, are very social animals. Slow Lorises are a small primate that weigh 103 grams to 1200 grams. Loris in Dutch means clown, which is thought to be because of the facial features. They have a round head and a narrow snout and have a variety of fur colors. Slow Lorises have a reduced second finger to help them grip onto things. Slow Lorises are nocturnal. They have a reflective layer on their eyes called tapetum lucidum that helps them see in the dark. Being omnivores, they like to eat insects and tree gum. They also like to drink nectar with their long tongues.
One interesting fact about slow Lorises is that they can mimic Cobras. Most mammals do not use mimicry but primates mimic other animals. Slow Lorises are unique in that they mimic Cobras. By putting their hands on top of their head and swaying around to mimic the Cobras slithering. They are especially good at this because they have several more vertebrae in their spine than other primates. It is rare for a mammal to have more vertebrae because most mammals have the same number of vertebrae. They use pants and grunts to mimic a Cobras hiss. Their fur looks like the Cobra’s hood and they also have a long stripe running down their fur. One encounter was described by John Still:
As I went into the room I looked at the cage, which was on the floor, and on the top of it I saw the outline of a cobra sitting up with hood expanded, and threatening a cat who crouched about six feet away. This was the Loris, who, with his arms and shoulders hunched up, was a sufficiently good imitation of a cobra to take me in, as he swayed on his long legs, and every now and then let out a perfect cobra’s hiss.
(John Still)
There are only seven venomous mammals and slow Lorises are one of them and the one and only venomous primate. They produce their venom by licking secretions from their branchial gland on their armpit until they fill their mouth with the secretion. Then they mix the secretion with their saliva to make venom. They use it to help them hunt. The venom protects them from predators, parasites, and insects. Slow Lorises’ venom is very effective for self defense. When they are in a cobra stance, they easily lick their armpit then make their venom. When they strike they can use their venom with their bites. The venom can be very dangerous. An example is that when a wildlife biologist named George Mandani got bitten by a Slow Loris, he developed a full-blown anaphylactic reaction. Fortunately, he survived to tell his story with the help of adrenaline.
Slow Lorises are dioecious and will produce all year round. The mating takes 3 to 7 minutes. After they mate, there is a 6 month gestation period. Usually a female has two babies. Sometimes one baby is smaller than the other. The smaller baby usually dies of sickness. When babies are born they are fully developed. A female has a 16 month span after each birth. Babies are born with their eyes open and have the strength to hold on to branches. After babies are born they hang to their mother for 7 weeks. Babies follow their mom everywhere except when she goes to search for food. This is when females rub their babies in venom to protect them from predators. When babies are 4 months old they can eat solid meat. Babies are nursed for 6 months. But in less than a year, babies can fend for themselves.
By now, we can see that Slow loris is very different from other primates like gorillas, but also with similarities. Slow Loris are venomous but gorillas are not. Slow Lorises live alone and do not have a leader. Gorillas do live in groups and have a leader. Slow Lorises are omnivores and gorillas are herbivores. Slow Lorises mimic Cobras and gorillas mimic humans. Gorillas spend most of their time on ground and slow Lorises spend most of their time in the trees. Slow Lorises have several more vertebrae than gorillas. Slow Lorises live in Southeast Asia and gorillas live in sub-saharan Africa. They are both endangered and both primates.
Slow Lorises are mistreated by people. People like to use them in the exotic pet trade. People started building houses, buildings, and roads and slow Lorises habitats are fading. When slow Lorises are used in the exotic pet trade they get their front teeth pulled out. So slow Lorises cannot use their venom. They do not do this to protect the new owner but to make sure people will buy slow Lorises. This is pushing slow Lorises to extinction. Slow Lorises play an important role in nature. They keep the insect and tree population down. If we watch the exotic pet trade to continue and watch slow Lorises losing their habitat without taking action, we will lose this amazing animal forever.
Slow Lorises are a fascinating species. To preserve them we must stop trading with the exotic pet trade. We must also stop destroying their habitat.
References
- Oxford Brookes University. 2020 Slow loris facts. https://www.brookes.ac.uk/
- Bioweb. 2013 The slow loris. http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/
- Fessenden M. 2014 The Only Primate With a Toxic Bite Might Have Evolved to Mimic Cobras. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/
- Mongabay S. 2014 When cute turns deadly – the story of a wildlife biologist who was bit by a venomous slow loris, and lived to tell the tale. https://news.mongabay.com/