Save the Slow Loris

I am a very emotional person when it comes to wildlife and especially so when it comes to animal cruelty and illegal pet trading. While eating a snack of green beans, I turned on Animal Planet to find the saddest little loris eyes staring back at me. I only caught the tail end of the episode on slow lorises, but watching that was enough to have me almost in tears.

I often take for granted how good we have in the United States and how, although not always properly run, for the most part our government does a great job of enforcing what is right and wrong. This is not the case in many countries and unfortunately animals greatly suffer due to the lack of governmental responsibility in these countries. The slow loris is an endangered species on the IUCN red list, however, illegal pet trading in Indonesia continues to diminish their presence every day. "Although both Indonesian and international law prohibit the trade of slow lorises, still they are sold openly in markets or roadside stalls all over Indonesia. According to WCU (Wildlife Crime Unit), the slow loris is one of the most traded primate species, second only to the long-tailed macaque." (See link below for citing)

It saddens me to know that there are people out there abusing and selling these endangered creatures and there is not much anyone can do about it. The Indonesian government does not enforce the laws that are supposed to protect these animals nor do they punish those who illegally sell them. I think the worst part is how those who perform illegal pet trading treat their animals. The slow loris contains a toxin in its armpit that it swishes around its mouth and uses to poison its prey. Due to the danger of this venom, pet traders brutally cut out the lorises teeth using nail clippers or pliers before stuffing them into cramped cages to sell to ignorant tourists who want a "cute exotic pet."

Due to their slow, gentle nature, the slow loris appeals to people as a great family pet. YouTube videos of captive lorises further encourage the illegal traders to sell slow lorises because people watch the videos and think "How cute! How do I get one?" What these people fail to realize is that purchasing these creatures, even with the intent to "save them", only causes more slow lorises to be captured and fewer to live out their lives in the wild. It's a sad loop that unfortunately does not provide the slow loris with much safety or hope for survival.

Its upsetting that there is not much I can do to help preserve the slow loris, except to educate through this blog and donate to those who help save and rehabilitate slow lorises. The slow loris will not be safe until the government of these countries decides to take action to protect them and/or people decide to stop purchasing them completely. Until that happens there is not much hope for our fuzzy, beady-eyed friends. Unfortunately this is not the only animal threatened by extinction due to the inhumanity and greed of mankind. I just with there was more that I could do to help.




ABC NEWS -  Slow Loris: Endangered for Being Cute

Link to the site features on Animal Planet (and the inspiration for this blog): 

http://www.nocturama.org/ 


Another educational site:

http://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/projects/25/Saving+the+slow+loris.html


From where my quote was taken:

http://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/uploaded/The%20Slow%20Loris%20in%20Indonesia%20The%20Rise%20in%20Illegal%20Wildlife%20Trade.pdf

Slow Loris getting it's teeth brutally cut out so it can no longer defend itself. 

Slow lorises being openly sold at a weekly market in Bogor. 

Please spread awareness and knowledge about the slow loris in Indonesia to increase law enforcement, decrease illegal pet sales, and help keep the slow loris from extinction.

In the trees where he belongs.