Being this cute can come at a tremendous cost.
Lorises are prosimian primates, related to the lemurs of Madagascar, and share many characteristics with the lemurs, like the specialized toothcomb for grooming.
Lorises live across Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent and are special among primates for their slow quadrupedalism. Lorises are increasingly threatened by illegal capture and export for the pet trade. Lorises entering the pet trade may suffer terribly, often having their teeth clipped or pulled without anesthesia to minimize risk from their toxic bite. They also might be kept awake during the day (when they normally would be sleeping) to interact with their owners. Viral videos of pet lorises depict them as cute, lovable pets however the animals often appear stressed by the bright lights and activity.
The slow loris, is one of the most popular animals in the wildlife trade, particularly in Japan, where people pay as much as U.S.$3,800 to have one as a house pet.
But the loris will soon be priceless—literally—thanks to a new ruling by the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Side Note: Learned a few interesting things about this video at the Duke Lemur Center today. 1) While it may appear that this loris is enjoying being scratched, this is a posture these animals take on when they feel threatened. 2) The animal is raising his arms to expose his scent glands, which produce a toxic & noxious fluid to deter predators. 3) As this is a nocturnal animal, the lighting in the room the animal is filmed in is actually effectively blinding him.
Support the work of International Animal Rescue so that we can continue to save slow lorises and campaign for an end to the illegal trade.
Related Source:
Go to http://lemur.duke.edu/category/nocturnal-lemurs/slow-loris/
http://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/uploaded/The%20Slow%20Loris%20A%20Protected%20Primate.pdf
"new ruling by the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species"
ReplyDeleteBeautiful animal--I hope the ruling is effective.
~Manfred
http://knightsfeather.wordpress.com/
A creature so beautiful, delicate and vulnerable yet equally deserving a chance of survival. After all, even amoeba are sensible creatures...
ReplyDeleteSince June 2007, there has been a worldwide ban on international commercial trade in slow lorises as established by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Furthermore,CITES is legally binding to states that have joined the Convention (presently there are 172 Parties). It provides a framework for managing and controlling the trade. Each Party has to implement the CITES decisions into its own domestic legislation.
Let's all hope for the best. And for what it's worth, let's hope total commitment spreads not only in countries such as Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam but all across Asia.