Slow Lorises are the only group of venomous primates in the world. Primates are a sub-group of the class mammals that also include humans and chimpanzees. Slow lorises, as the name suggests, are slow animals and can remain motionless for hours if necessary. They are nocturnal animals and can move around 8 km in one night.
They have the largest eyes of all the primates and have a special light-reflecting layer called the ‘tapetum lucidum’ within their eyes which allows them to see even in complete darkness. It lives in tropical evergreen forests and moves slowly along tree branches or the ground in search of food.
It likes to eat insects, fruits and small animals. It particularly likes to drink the nectar of flowers which it sucks with its very long tongue. It can hang motionless for hours waiting for food. Once it spots an insect, bird or small animal, it suddenly puts on a great burst of speed and pounces on it. The slow Loris has another hidden talent. Its greatest weapon is its vicious bite, which is capable of melting flesh!
Slow Loris venom is produced when the animal licks its glands under the armpits which produce oil. The saliva in its mouth turns this oil into toxic venom that can cause severe illness and sometimes even death in victims. Found in Bangladesh, India, the Philippines and China, the slow Loris is one of the rarest and most vulnerable animals in the world. Its close-set large eyes give this creature a very cute and cuddly look, but beware, cute can turn deadly in a matter of seconds and if you ever see a Slow Loris, it is best to give this creature a wide berth.
Picture Credit : Google
