Zoo Animals

Zoo Slow Loris Welfare and Illegal Trade

Slow lorises are illegally traded as exotic pets due to their appearance, causing severe welfare suffering and threatening wild populations across Southeast Asia.

Key Facts

Slow lorises are venomous primates requiring specialised diet and nocturnal lifestyle
Tooth clipping to remove their venom gland teeth is routinely performed in the illegal trade
Lorises cannot thrive as pets and suffer from malnutrition, stress and dental pain
Videos of lorises being tickled on social media drive demand and misrepresent their welfare needs
Little Fireface Project works on slow loris conservation and welfare in Indonesia

Welfare Considerations

Slow loris trade causes intense suffering including tooth mutilation and lifelong stress in captivity. Exposure to social media videos is a major demand driver that individuals can refuse to share.

What You Can Do

Never share or engage with slow loris social media content that normalises illegal pet ownership
Report slow loris videos to social media platforms as wildlife trafficking
Support Little Fireface Project and similar organisations protecting slow lorises in the wild