The Urban Slender Loris Project
Slender Loris
The Slender Loris, Loris tardigradus, is a small nocturnal primate found only in Sri Lanka and southern India. Slender lorises are arboreal and therefore require continuous forest canopy. This continuity is created by either large trees that are close to each other in old forests or by the climbing vines in forests where the understory is undisturbed. Their preferred diet is mostly insects and fruit.
Threats
Lorises are under constant threat of habitat loss. With Bangalore city rapidly expanding in every direction lorises are losing access to the strips of forest canopy necessary for their survival.
Loris populations are also threatened by poaching and illegal trade. Lorises have endured cruelty and abuse at the hand of poachers. In urban areas lorises are often found decapitated, with their eyes gouged out or with broken bones. This little known primate deserves a better understanding of its life and the threats we pose to its survival. It needs all of our help.
Conservation
This species has specific habitat requirements and yet they are found in urban areas. Therefore, loris is an ideal candidate to use as a flagship species for conservation of urban biodiversity. Bangalore is home to 340 species of birds, 160 species of butterflies, 40 species of mammals, 38 species of reptiles, 16 species of amphibians, and 41 species of fish. Thus, by focusing on the conservation of the Slender Loris, we hope to then raise awareness about the biodiversity of Bangalore at large.