Wild Slow Loris Welfare and Illegal Pet Trade

How viral social media videos have driven slow loris into the illegal pet trade, causing severe welfare harm.

Key Facts

All slow loris species are critically endangered or endangered — their trade is illegal under CITES Appendix I
Viral videos of pet slow lorises triggered a global demand spike that has devastated wild populations
Tooth clipping — removing their venomous teeth before sale — causes severe pain and infection in captured lorises
Slow lorises are nocturnal and adapted to complex forest environments — captive conditions cause chronic stress
The animals in "cute" videos showing wide eyes are experiencing acute fear in response to light stimulation

Welfare Considerations

Slow loris welfare represents one of the most direct cases where viral social media content has driven wildlife suffering. The "cute" animals in circulating videos are experiencing acute fear — their wide eyes are a response to being exposed to light during their nocturnal period. Before reaching buyers, captured lorises have typically had their teeth clipped without anesthesia — removing the venom delivery apparatus that makes them dangerous — causing pain, infection, and inability to feed normally. The combined welfare harms of capture, tooth clipping, confinement, and chronic stress in inappropriate environments make the slow loris pet trade among the most cruel in the illegal wildlife market.

What You Can Do

Never share or positively engage with social media content featuring slow lorises as pets — it drives demand
Support Little Fireface Project and other slow loris rescue and conservation programs
Report illegal slow loris trade on social media platforms using available reporting tools
Share information about the welfare reality behind cute slow loris videos to reduce demand