Sunda Slow Loris: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Creatures of the Night · day 4 of 7

Five facts

1. The Sunda slow loris has toxic oil in its elbow glands, spread over its fur when it grooms with its toothcomb.
2. When threatened it can bite, roll into a ball exposing the poison, or simply drop from a branch.
3. It spends 34.9% of its time sipping phloem sap, 31.7% licking nectar-producing flowers and 22.5% munching fruit.
4. In one study, Sunda slow lorises spent only 8% of their active time near another loris.
5. A single baby is born after a long 192-day pregnancy. It lives with its parents until it leaves at 16 to 27 months old.

The quiz

1. Where does the loris carry its toxic oil?

• In its tail
• In glands on its elbows (correct)
• In its teeth
• In its eyes

The toxic oil comes from elbow glands.

2. What can a threatened loris do?

• Roll into a ball (correct)
• Run at top speed
• Hide underwater
• Howl loudly

It can bite, roll into a ball or drop from a branch.

3. What takes up most of its feeding time?

• Hunting frogs
• Munching fruit
• Sipping phloem sap (correct)
• Licking nectar flowers

It spends 34.9% of its time sipping phloem sap, more than on anything else.

4. In one study, how much of its active time did it spend near another loris?

• About 28%
• About 50%
• About 80%
• Only 8% (correct)

One study found they spent only 8% of their active time near another loris.

5. At what age does a young Sunda slow loris leave its parents?

• Between 16 and 27 months (correct)
• At 2 months
• At 6 months
• At 5 years

It leaves its parents between 16 and 27 months old.

Same week

All lessons

Nature documentaries