Zoos & Captivity

Slow Loris Rescue and Rehabilitation

Slow lorises are illegally traded as pets and captured for videos, causing severe welfare harm, and rescued individuals require specialist rehabilitation care.

Key Facts

Slow lorises are protected under CITES Appendix I and cannot legally be traded internationally
Teeth clipping is routinely performed on lorises destined for the pet trade, causing pain and preventing normal behaviour
Slow lorises are the only venomous primates, producing toxic secretions from brachial glands
International Animal Rescue and other organisations run slow loris rescue and rehabilitation centres
Released lorises require suitable habitat with fruiting trees, insects and safe movement routes

Welfare Considerations

Slow lorises suffer profoundly in the pet trade. Teeth clipping denies them normal feeding behaviour and defence mechanisms. Keeping them as pets exposes them to inappropriate diet, lighting and social environments. Rescued individuals often arrive severely malnourished, with infected dental wounds and significant behavioural abnormalities. Rehabilitation is intensive and successful release requires both individual welfare recovery and suitable protected habitat.

What You Can Do

Never share or engage with viral slow loris videos as this normalises and drives demand for the trade
Report suspected slow loris trade on social media using platforms' wildlife trafficking reporting tools
Donate to International Animal Rescue and Little Fireface Project that rescue and rehabilitate lorises
Advocate for stronger enforcement against illegal primate trade in source and destination countries
Support habitat protection in South and Southeast Asia where slow lorises live