Pygmy slow lorises are venomous primates illegally traded as pets across Southeast Asia, with tooth clipping routinely performed to prevent bites. Welfare-responsible zoos support rescue and rehabilitation while never sourcing animals from the illegal trade.
Lorises confiscated from the illegal trade arrive with clipped teeth, severe nutritional deficiencies from inappropriate diets, and profound behavioural abnormalities from social deprivation. Many cannot be released because dental damage prevents normal foraging. Their nocturnal, arboreal nature is completely incompatible with household pet keeping — they suffer from light exposure, inappropriate social conditions, and diets that cause metabolic disease. Welfare-responsible zoos participate in coordinated breeding programmes and support field rescue operations but never purchase lorises through channels that could incentivise further illegal collection.