The Slender LorisThe Slender Loris(Loris Tardigradus)(Loris Tardigradus)

by: Aidan Muirby: Aidan Muir

Grade 6Grade 6

Fessenden SchoolFessenden School

Scientific ClassificationScientific Classification

• Kingdom: Animalia

• Phylum: Chordata

• Class: Mammalia

• Order: Primates

• Family: Lorisidae

• Genus: Loris

• Species: Tardigradus

AppearanceAppearance

• The Slender Loris is about the size of a chipmunk, with long pencil-thin arms and legs. It is between 15-25 cm in length

• It weighs about 275-350 g.

• Its round head is dominated by 2 large closely set brown eyes

• Its nose ends with a heart-shaped knob

• Has a small, narrow lower jaw

HabitatHabitat

• The Slender Loris’ natural habitat is in the tropical rainforests of Southern India and Sri Lanka.

Life CycleLife Cycle

• Mating occurs twice a year (between April-May and October-November)

• The mother is pregnant for 166-169 days• The Slender Loris has a life span of 12 to 15 years• During the first few weeks the mother carries her infant

constantly• The infant will grasp its mother around the waist with its

front and hind legs• After a few weeks the mother parks on a tree and sets

the infant down. The babies move around quite carefully at first but by 2 months they are moving quite well. More mature Slender Loris’ who sleep in the same tree may visit each other at night to play and eat with them.

DietDiet

• Eats mostly insects• Also slugs, young leaves, flowers, shoots and

occasionally eggs and nestlings• Eats a lot of noxious and bad smelling insects• They especially like the acacia ant whose bite

can numb a human arm• They also like toxic beetles and roaches• The Slender Loris will engage in urine washing,

or rubbing urine over their hands, feet and face to soothe or defend against the sting of the toxic insects

PredatorsPredators

• The Slender Loris’ main predator is the human. This is because the Slender Loris is quite small and it can’t protect itself from humans.

How the Slender Loris helps the How the Slender Loris helps the environmentenvironment

• The Slender Loris eats insects so it helps with insect control

How do humans continue to impact How do humans continue to impact the environment of the Slender the environment of the Slender

Loris?Loris?• Populations of this small primate are

declining because: • Their forest habitats are being destroyed

for logging, agriculture and development. • Native people kill and use all parts of the

Slender Loris for the believed medicinal and magical powers.

• The Slender Loris is also traded to foreigners as exotic pets.

What can we do to help the What can we do to help the Slender Loris’ habitat?Slender Loris’ habitat?

• People that live in Sri Lanka and Southern India can try and maintain the rainforests. When the rainforests are being destroyed then the trees that they live on are being destroyed and then they have to go and find a new home.

Other interesting factsOther interesting facts

• Slender Loris’ roll up in a ball to rest• They are often referred to as “bananas on

stilts” because they are small with long legs

• Their main form of defence is to freeze until the danger passes

• The Slender Loris is a nocturnal animal• The Slender Loris is an endangered

species

ReferencesReferences

• wikipedia.org

• environmentalgraffiti.org

• edgeofexistence.org

• lemur.duke.edu