Wild Slow Loris Welfare: Illegal Pet Trade and Venom

Slow lorises are venomous nocturnal primates devastated by the illegal pet trade. Tooth removal for the pet trade causes severe welfare harm, and their specialised dietary needs make captive survival extremely poor.

Key Facts

All eight slow loris species are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered — primarily due to the illegal pet trade
Slow lorises are the only venomous primate — they produce venom from brachial glands that mixes with saliva, but their teeth are removed for the pet trade to prevent bites
Tooth removal is typically performed with wire cutters or nail clippers without anaesthesia, causing acute pain, infection risk, and inability to feed naturally
Viral videos of "cute" lorises being tickled — actually a fear response — have dramatically increased demand for lorises as pets
Slow lorises in captivity have very high mortality rates because their dietary requirements — including tree gum, nectar, and insects — cannot be met in household settings

Welfare Considerations

Slow loris welfare in the pet trade is catastrophically poor. The initial capture typically kills the mother and traumatises the infant. Tooth removal without anaesthesia causes acute, severe pain and permanent disfigurement. Without teeth, lorises cannot feed naturally and slowly starve or die of malnutrition in captivity. Captive lorises showing the "tickling" response in viral videos are in a defensive fear posture, raising their arms to access their venom glands — the videos depict an animal in distress being shared as entertainment. Even in sanctuaries, rescued lorises with removed teeth face lifelong feeding challenges. The welfare emergency is driven almost entirely by social media demand — the viral spread of loris videos directly drives purchase.

What You Can Do

Never share, like, or comment positively on social media videos of slow lorises as pets — engagement drives algorithmic spread and demand
Report slow loris pet trade content to platform moderators and wildlife crime reporting organisations
Support the Little Fireface Project and International Animal Rescue slow loris rehabilitation programmes
Advocate for stronger social media platform policies against wildlife trafficking and exploitative exotic pet content
Educate others that slow loris videos depict animal suffering — the "tickling" response is fear, not enjoyment