Wild Slow Loris Welfare: Illegal Pet Trade and Sanctuary

Slow lorises are illegally traded as pets throughout Southeast Asia and internationally, with tooth clipping and transport conditions causing severe welfare harm — making viral videos of "cute" lorises a significant driver of suffering.

Key Facts

All slow loris species (Nycticebus spp.) are Critically Endangered and protected under CITES Appendix I
Slow lorises are the only known venomous primates — their brachial gland secretion combines with saliva to form venom
Lorises sold as pets have their teeth cut or pulled without anesthesia to prevent venomous biting — causing infection and death
The tooth-clipping process causes severe pain, often leading to sepsis and death without veterinary treatment
International Animal Rescue maintains a slow loris rehabilitation center in Indonesia
Viral videos showing lorises "enjoying" being tickled have driven demand for pets — the animals are actually displaying freeze behavior from fear
Most confiscated slow lorises cannot be released to the wild — their teeth removal prevents foraging
Education campaigns explaining that loris videos show welfare harm have reduced sharing significantly

Welfare Considerations

The welfare harm to pet slow lorises begins at capture (separation from family groups, transport in dark containers), continues through tooth removal without anesthesia (causing acute pain and infection risk), and persists through the entirety of captivity in inappropriate conditions. Lorises held as pets cannot forage effectively without teeth, cannot express their nocturnal and arboreal natural behaviors, and live in a state of chronic fear masked by freeze behavior that is misinterpreted as docility. The tooth-clipping welfare harm is immediate and severe; the ongoing captivity harm is continuous and chronic. Educational campaigns that explain what loris videos actually show — fear responses, not pleasure — have been effective at reducing the sharing behavior that drove demand. Consumer awareness is a direct welfare intervention for this species.

What You Can Do

Never share videos appearing to show slow lorises as pets — they document welfare harm
Share accurate information about what loris "tickling" videos actually show
Support International Animal Rescue slow loris sanctuary programs
Report suspected slow loris trafficking to TRAFFIC and wildlife authorities
Advocate for stronger enforcement of CITES protection for slow lorises