Slender Loris [UPSC Notes]

Many species of plants and animals are on the verge of extinction. Such creatures are conserved in wildlife sanctuaries. Recently, the Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary was notified and this article gives you all the details about the slender loris and the Kadavur Sanctuary for the  IAS Exam.

Slender Loris 

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The Slender Loris is a small nocturnal primate. These animals are about 25 cm long and have long, thin arms. They weigh around 175 grams. They have a small vestigial tail. Their most prominent feature is a pair of two large, closely set brown eyes. Being arboreal they spent most of their lives on trees. Apart from insects, they are known to eat leaves, flowers, slugs and sometimes eggs of birds. 

• Scientific name – Loris tardigradus
• The Slender Lorises (Loris) are a genus of Loris native to India and Sri Lanka.
• It comprises of two species –
  • Red Slender Loris found in Sri Lanka 
  • Gray Slender Loris found in Sri Lanka and India

Slender Loris Habitat

Slender lorises are found in tropical rainforests, scrub forests, semi-deciduous forests and swamps.

• A study conducted by Sacon (Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural History), Coimbatore found that these mammals were originally found in Trichy, Pudukottai, Karur, Dindigul and Sivaganga districts. However, habitat loss and other factors forced these nocturnal animals to confine themselves to the forests of Dindigul and Karur. 
• Thoppaswamimalai Reserved Forest in Dindigul and Mullipadi Reserved Forest in Karur district are the two locations in which the largest population of lorises were recorded. The nocturnal house in Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur is home to two slender lorises.

Threat to Slender Loris

• These animals face a threat from poachers due to the misplaced belief that these animals have magical and medicinal powers. Hunting, along with the destruction of their habitat, is their major threat.

Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary

The Tamil Nadu government has notified 11806 hectares of forest area in Dindigul and Karur districts, as a sanctuary for the endangered “Slender Loris”. The Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary will be the first such facility for the animal in the country. The move will not only protect the habitat but also curb poaching of Slender Loris, which is an endangered species as per the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature). These mammals are protected under Schedule Ⅰ of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

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