Bengal Slow Loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) lives in tropical rainforest across Southeast Asia. It feeds on insects and fruit. Its conservation status is Endangered.
Fascinating facts about the Bengal Slow Loris
- The Bengal slow loris is the biggest of its kind, stretching 26 to 38 cm from head to tail and tipping the scales at 1-2.1 kg, making it roughly three times heavier than the tiniest pygmy loris. Its skull alone exceeds 62 mm, and its dense woolly coat hides a dark stripe that runs up the back to the head. By spotting such giants, researchers can gauge ecosystem health.
- Its elbow-sitting brachial gland spits out a pungent oil that is chemically distinct from any other slow loris. Gas-chromatography shows almost half of the dozens of volatile compounds are unique, with m-cresol dominating. The toxin coats the animal's toothcomb, letting it deliver a venomous bite that can cause anaphylactic shock in humans because one component mirrors cat allergen Fel-d1. This dual role, defense against predators and a scent-based social signal about age, health and rank.
- Females can give birth every 12-18 months after a six-month gestation, usually to a single infant that clings to her for three months before becoming independent at about 20 months. Because they are not seasonal breeders, a mother whose first baby survives can become pregnant again when the youngster is just six months old, potentially producing two offspring in a single year.
- A 2022-2023 release trial in Bangladesh showed that nine rescued Bengal slow lorises fared terribly: only two survived past six months, three died within ten days and four more perished within half a year. Radio-tracking revealed fatal bite wounds on four bodies, likely from territorial fights with resident lorises. Those that lived longer kept larger home ranges, suggesting that avoiding established territories is key to survival. The study warns that releasing animals into already saturated forests can become a death trap, underscoring the need for careful population-density assessments before any re-wilding.
- Its range stretches across Bangladesh, northeast India, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Vietnam, southern China and Thailand, the largest of any slow loris, yet the species is listed as endangered. In 2020 the IUCN classified it as such because habitat loss and poaching have driven numbers down to a few thousand, with local extinctions recorded in parts of Vietnam and China. Even though it occurs in at least 43 protected areas in northeast India, 14 in Laos and 24 in Vietnam, illegal logging and the pet trade continue unabated, meaning that protected-area maps alone no longer guarantee safety.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeSoutheast Asia
HabitatTropical rainforest
DietInsects and fruit
About the Bengal Slow Loris
In the moonlit forests of Southeast Asia, the Bengal Slow Loris emerges as a phantom, its large, round eyes glowing like lanterns in the darkness as it navigates the treetops with a deliberate, haunting slowness. With a gentle, almost ethereal quality, it moves through the world, its soft fur a muted grey that blends seamlessly into the dappled shadows, allowing it to vanish and reappear with an air of mystery. As one of the most endangered primates on the planet, this enigmatic creature's very existence is a poignant reminder of the fragility and beauty of the natural world.
Hear the Bengal Slow Loris, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
