Slow Loris in Zoos: Protecting a Venomous Primate from Exploitation

Slow lorises are the only venomous primates, yet their "cute" appearance fuels a devastating illegal pet trade. Responsible zoos play a critical role in conservation, but housing lorises ethically requires specialised expertise.

Key Facts

Slow lorises (genus Nycticebus) are nocturnal primates from South and Southeast Asian forests
They produce venom by licking a gland on their arm and mixing secretion with saliva — used in defence
Illegal pet trade dealers remove lorises' teeth to make them safe to handle, causing severe pain and infection
Videos of "tickled" lorises on social media have driven demand, despite the behaviour indicating distress
All eight slow loris species are CITES Appendix I listed — international trade is banned
In zoos, lorises require nocturnal houses, high humidity, varied invertebrate diet, and complex climbing habitat
Captive breeding programmes are complicated by the species' slow reproduction rate
The Little Fireface Project in Indonesia leads slow loris research, rescue, and reintroduction

Welfare Considerations

Slow lorises are victims of one of the most visible wildlife welfare crises driven by social media. The "cute" viral videos that have popularised them as pets show animals whose teeth have been brutally removed, who are held in painfully bright conditions that hurt their large nocturnal eyes, and who raise their arms not in greeting but in a defensive venom-delivery posture. The suffering involved is profound and widespread. In zoos, slow lorises must be housed in dim, controlled nocturnal environments with carefully managed temperature and humidity. Their complex invertebrate diet — including live insects, gum, and nectar — must be replicated to support dental and nutritional health. Social housing requires species-specific assessment: some species are more tolerant of conspecifics than others. Lorises should never be used in public handling programmes, which would replicate the harm of the illegal pet trade.

What You Can Do

Never share, like, or comment positively on social media videos showing slow lorises as pets
Report illegal slow loris videos to platform moderators and wildlife crime hotlines
Support the Little Fireface Project and similar organisations working on slow loris rescue and reintroduction
Advocate for social media platform policies that detect and remove illegal wildlife trade content
If visiting zoos with slow lorises, ensure they are in appropriate nocturnal conditions, not on display in daylight