Bengal Slow Loris
Encyclopedia
The Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) or northern slow loris is a strepsirrhine
primate
and a species
of slow loris
native to the Indian subcontinent
and Indochina
. Its geographic range is larger than that of any other slow loris species. Considered a subspecies
of the Sunda slow loris (N. coucang) until 2001, phylogenetic
analysis suggests that the Bengal slow loris is most closely related to the Sunda slow loris. However, some individuals in both species have mitochondrial DNA
sequences that resemble those of the other species, due to introgressive hybridization
. It is the largest species of slow loris, measuring 26 to 38 cm (10.2 to 15 in) from head to tail and weighing between 1 and 2.1 kg (2.2 and 4.6 lb). Like other slow lorises, it has a wet nose (rhinarium
), a round head, flat face, large eyes, small ears, a vestigial tail, and dense, woolly fur. The toxin it secretes from its brachial gland (a scent gland
in its arm) differs chemically from that of other slow loris species and may be used to communicate information about sex, age, health, and social status.
The Bengal slow loris is nocturnal and arboreal, occurring in both evergreen
and deciduous forests. It prefers rainforests with dense canopies, and its presence in its native habitat indicates a healthy ecosystem. It is a seed disperser
and pollinator, as well as a prey item for carnivores. Its diet primarily consists of fruit, but also includes insects, tree gum, snails, and small vertebrate
s. In winter, it relies on plant exudates, such as sap and tree gum
. The species lives in small family groups, marks its territory with urine, and sleeps during the day by curling up in dense vegetation or in tree holes. It is a seasonal breeder
, reproducing once every 12–18 months and usually giving birth to a single offspring. For the first three months, mothers carry their offspring, which reach sexual maturity
at around 20 months. The Bengal slow loris can live up to 20 years.
The species is listed as "Vulnerable
" on the IUCN Red List
, and is threatened with extinction due to a growing demand in the exotic pet
trade and traditional medicine
. It is one of the most common animals sold in local animal markets. In traditional medicine, it is primarily used by wealthy to middle-class, urban women following childbirth, but also to treat stomach problems, broken bones, and sexually transmitted diseases. It is also hunted for food and suffers from habitat loss. Wild populations have declined severely, and it is locally extinct in several regions. It is found within many protected area
s throughout its range, but this does not protect them from rampant poaching
and illegal logging
. Critical conservation issues for this species include enhancing protection measures, stricter enforcement of wildlife protection laws, and increased connectivity between fragmented protected areas.
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Nycticebus bengalensis, commonly
known as the Bengal slow loris or northern slow loris, is a strepsirrhine primate in the slow loris
genus, Nycticebus. Formerly considered a subspecies
of the Sunda slow loris (N. coucang), it was recognized as a distinct species in 2001 by taxonomist and primatologist Colin Groves
. It is difficult to distinguish from the other species in its genus.
To help clarify species and subspecies boundaries, and to establish whether morphology
-based classifications were consistent with evolutionary relationships, the phylogenetic relationships within the genus Nycticebus have been investigated using DNA sequence
s derived from the mitochondrial
markers D loop and cytochrome b
. Although most of the recognized lineages of Nycticebus (including N. pygmaeus, N. menagensis and N. javanicus) were shown to be genetically distinct—the analysis suggested that DNA sequences from some individuals of N. coucang and N. bengalensis apparently share a closer evolutionary relationship with each other than with members of their own species. The authors suggest that this result may be explained by introgressive hybridization, as the tested individuals of these two taxa originated from a region of sympatry
in southern Thailand; the precise origin of one of the N. coucang individuals was not known. This hypothesis was corroborated by a 2007 study that compared the variations in mitochondrial DNA sequences between N. bengalensis and N. coucang, and suggested that there has been gene flow
between the two species.
vary in color from brown to nearly white, and the feet are always pale. Moulting may cause seasonal variations in the color of the dorsal surface. Like other slow lorises, its tail is vestigial and it has a round head and short ears. It has a rhinarium
(the moist, naked surface around the nostrils of the nose) and a broad, flat face with large eyes. Its eyes reflect a bright orange eye shine
. On its front feet, the second digit is smaller than the rest; the big toe on its hind foot opposes the other toes, which enhances its gripping power. Its second toe on the hind foot has a curved "toilet-claw
" that the animal uses for scratching and grooming, while the other nails are straight.
In addition to being smaller than the Bengal slow loris, the sympatric Sunda slow loris also differs in its coloring: it does not have the pale areas of the head, nape
and shoulders, and its overall color is a tawny
- or golden-brown. The pygmy slow loris
(N. pygmaeus) is much smaller, with a skull length less than 55 mm (2.2 in). It also lacks the dark dorsal stripe of the Bengal slow loris, has dark brown fur, and longer ears.
The Bengal slow loris has a small swelling on the ventral side of its elbow called the brachial gland, which secretes a pungent, clear oily toxin that the animal uses defensively by wiping it on its toothcomb
. The oil has been analyzed using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry
, and it has been shown that almost half of the several dozen volatile
or semi-volatile chemicals present do not occur in the closely related pygmy slow loris. The most predominant component was the phenol
ic compound m-cresol
. The authors of the study suggest that the chemically complex oils may help the lorises communicate with each other, allowing them to transmit by scent information about sex, age, health and nutritional status, and dominance.
The preferred habitats of the Bengal slow loris range across tropical and subtropical regions, and include evergreen
and semi-evergreen rainforests with forest edges and continuous, dense canopies. It can also be found in bamboo groves. It prefers habitats with larger diameter, tall trees with a large crown depth (defined as the length along the main axis from the tree tip to the base of the crown
); these areas are typically associated with greater food abundance, and decreased risk of predation. Because of its preference for dense forests, it acts as a good indicator of the ecosystem's health.
The species acts as an important seed disperser
and pollinator, as well as a prey item for several carnivores. The Bengal slow loris feeds on plant exudates such as sap
, gum
s, resin
s, and latex
es, particularly those from the family Fabaceae
. Even though the species does not have keeled nails, it will scrape the plant, actively breaking its surface; this behavior resembles that of marmoset
s and the fork-marked lemurs. Exudates are also obtained by gouging holes in the bark. The winter food supply consists almost entirely of plant exudates. The bastard myrobala (Terminalia belerica), a deciduous tree common in Southeast Asia, is a preferred source for exudates, but it has also been observed taking plant exudates from a number of families
: Moraceae
(Artocarpus
), Magnoliaceae
(Manglietia
), Fabaceae (Acacia
, Bauhinia
), Lecythidaceae
(Careya arborea
), and Sterculiaceae
(Pterospermum
). Although it will feed on large insects (such as katydids and crickets), gum, snails, small birds, and reptiles, it is primarily frugivorous
. Liana
s of the flowering plant genus Bauhinia are a commonly used food source.
A nocturnal animal, the Bengal slow loris has excellent night vision
, enhanced by a tapetum lucidum
—a layer of tissue in the eye that reflects visible light back through the retina. It sleeps during the day curled up in a ball in dense vegetation or in tree holes. Males and females mark their territory
with urine. The species is known to live in small family groups. Animals may practice social grooming
.
, unlike the pygmy slow loris. Females in an estrous cycle
attract males with a loud whistle. Females reproduce every 12–18 months and have a six-month gestation
. Because they are not seasonal breeders, females could become pregnant when their offspring are approximately 6 months old, making possible for females to produce two offspring per year. Females typically give birth to a single offspring, although twins rarely occur. This differs from the sympatric pygmy slow loris, which commonly has twins. The mother carries her young about three months before they become independent, although they may be temporarily left on branches while the mother searches for food. Sexual maturity
is reached at approximately 20 months of age. The species is known to live up to 20 years.
(Northeast India and Bangladesh
) and Indochina
(Cambodia
, Laos
, Burma, Vietnam
, southern China
and Thailand
). It is the only nocturnal primate found in the northeast Indian states, which include Assam
, Arunachal Pradesh
, Mizoram
, Nagaland
, Meghalaya
, Manipur
and Tripura
. It is found in parts of Yunnan
and in southwest Guangxi
in China, and has been recorded in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
in Bangladesh. It is known from 24 protected areas in Vietnam, and is distributed across most of Thailand. In Burma, it has been reported from Bhamo
, Sumprabum
, Kindat, Chin Hills
, Pathein
, Thaungdaung and Pegu; populations in Laos have been recorded in the north, central, and southern portions of the country.
The Bengal slow loris is sympatric (shares its range) with the pygmy slow loris in southeast of China, Vietnam, and Laos. The Bengal slow loris is also sympatric with the Sunda slow loris on the southern peninsula of Thailand. In 2001, Groves reported the existence of hybrids between these two species in this region.
" as recently as 2006 on the IUCN Red List
, The Bengal slow loris was evaluated in 2008 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as "Vulnerable
"—a decision based solely on habitat loss due to lack of sufficient field data. It is found within numerous protected area
s within its range; however, poaching
and illegal logging
are rampant while conservation measures are not species-specific. The species can be found in at least 43 protected areas in Northeast India, 14 conservation areas in Laos, and 24 protected areas in Vietnam. It can be found at Lawachara National Park
in Bangladesh, and 80% of its range in China is protected. The species has been listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
, and in June 2007, it was transferred along with all other slow loris species to CITES Appendix I, which forbids international commercial trade.
The most severe threats facing the species are the wildlife trade
(trapping for exotic pet
s and use in traditional medicine
) and deforestation
. Slash and burn
agriculture has also resulted in the destruction of its habitat, and road construction is another factor in its decline. Hunting has been found to be most severe when nearby urban human populations increase. Enhancing protection measures, enforcing current wildlife protection laws, and improving the connectivity between protected areas are factors considered critical to ensure the survival of this species.
The species is commonly sold as a pet and to zoos throughout Southeast Asia. In Cambodia, it was reported in 2006 as one of the most common mammals found in shops and stalls, found in the hundreds and selling for US$0.85 to US$6.25. In the same year, it was found selling for US$2.50 to US$6.30 at bazaars in China (Mengla County
in Yunnan Province
) and US$70 in Thailand. The Bengal slow loris is used in traditional medicine in all of these countries, selling for US$15 in Vietnam, and is also eaten in Vietnam. The animal is predominantly used to prepare treatments for women after childbirth, stomach problems, healing wounds and broken bones, and in the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Primary users are wealthy to middle-class women in urban areas.
, and only 10% of that includes closed-canopy forests. Habitat destruction remains rampant, and all slow loris populations within its borders are significantly depleted. Populations have been declared locally extinct
in southern Quảng Nam Province
and parts of the highlands, and the same is expected in Song Thanh and Kon Cha Rang nature reserves.
In India, dense forest canopy has been depleted by as much as 55% in some areas and is rapidly disappearing. As early as 1987, the Indo-China region had reportedly lost 75% of the natural habitat for slow lorises. In 1992, the population size was estimated between 16,000 and 17,000 individuals, based on available habitat; however, recent publications report that few individuals remain due a reduced geographic range. The Bengal slow loris may be restricted to a few isolated populations and is in serious threat of becoming locally extinct in parts of Assam
and Meghalaya
. In Arunachal Pradesh
, its population is declining and under threat.
Population density
has been estimated between 0.03 to 0.33 individuals per km2 in Assam, India according to a study published in 2006. A survey in 2007 at the Thrisna Wildlife Sanctuary and Sipahijola Wildlife Sanctuary
in Tripura, India yielded an encounter rate of 0.22 individuals/km, with seven of nine sightings occurring within 1.71 km² (0.660234691193235 sq mi) and most of the animals found at a height of 8 – and near the interior of wet, deciduous forest. In 2008, the species abundance was measured at 0.18 individuals/km at Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary
in Assam.
Since the 1990s, China's forests have declined significantly. In Yunnan
and Guangxi
provinces, primary forests are few and isolated, and secondary forest
s have been severely degraded. Yunnan has lost 42% of its forests and 2,000 or less slow lorises remain. In Guangxi, the Bengal slow loris is nearly extinct; it has been extirpated in Ningming County
and only a few individuals are left in Jingxi
, Longzhou
and Pingxiang
.
Strepsirrhini
The clade Strepsirrhini is one of the two suborders of primates. Madagascar's only non-human primates are strepsirrhines, and others can be found in southeast Asia and Africa...
primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
and a species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of slow loris
Slow loris
Slow lorises are a group of five species of strepsirrhine primates which make up the genus Nycticebus. Found in South and Southeast Asia, they range from Northeast India in the west to the Philippines in the east, and from the Yunnan province in China in the north to the island of Java in the south...
native to the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
and Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
. Its geographic range is larger than that of any other slow loris species. Considered a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Sunda slow loris (N. coucang) until 2001, phylogenetic
Phylogenetics
In biology, phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relatedness among groups of organisms , which is discovered through molecular sequencing data and morphological data matrices...
analysis suggests that the Bengal slow loris is most closely related to the Sunda slow loris. However, some individuals in both species have mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert the chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate...
sequences that resemble those of the other species, due to introgressive hybridization
Introgression
Introgression, also known as introgressive hybridization, in genetics is the movement of a gene from one species into the gene pool of another by the repeated backcrossing of an interspecific hybrid with one of its parent species...
. It is the largest species of slow loris, measuring 26 to 38 cm (10.2 to 15 in) from head to tail and weighing between 1 and 2.1 kg (2.2 and 4.6 lb). Like other slow lorises, it has a wet nose (rhinarium
Rhinarium
The rhinarium is the moist, naked surface around the nostrils of the nose in most mammals. In actual scientific usage it is typically called a "wet snout" or "wet nose" from its moist and shiny appearance...
), a round head, flat face, large eyes, small ears, a vestigial tail, and dense, woolly fur. The toxin it secretes from its brachial gland (a scent gland
Scent gland
Scent glands are found in the genital area of most mammals and in various other parts of the body, such as the underarms of humans and the preorbital glands of deer and muskox. They produce a semi-viscous fluid which contains pheromones. These odor-messengers indicate information such as status,...
in its arm) differs chemically from that of other slow loris species and may be used to communicate information about sex, age, health, and social status.
The Bengal slow loris is nocturnal and arboreal, occurring in both evergreen
Evergreen forest
An temperate evergreen forest is a forest consisting entirely or mainly of evergreen trees that retain green foliage all year round. Such forests exist in the tropics primarily as broadleaf evergreens, and in temperate and boreal latitudes primarily as coniferous evergreens.-Tropical evergreen...
and deciduous forests. It prefers rainforests with dense canopies, and its presence in its native habitat indicates a healthy ecosystem. It is a seed disperser
Seed dispersal
Seed dispersal is the movement or transport of seeds away from the parent plant. Plants have limited mobility and consequently rely upon a variety of dispersal vectors to transport their propagules, including both abiotic and biotic vectors. Seeds can be dispersed away from the parent plant...
and pollinator, as well as a prey item for carnivores. Its diet primarily consists of fruit, but also includes insects, tree gum, snails, and small vertebrate
Vertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
s. In winter, it relies on plant exudates, such as sap and tree gum
Gum (botany)
Gum is a sap or other resinous material associated with certain species of the plant kingdom. This material is often polysaccharide-based and most frequently is associated with woody plants, particularly under the bark or as a seed coating...
. The species lives in small family groups, marks its territory with urine, and sleeps during the day by curling up in dense vegetation or in tree holes. It is a seasonal breeder
Seasonal breeder
Seasonal breeders are animal species that successfully mate only during certain times of the year. These times of year allow for the births at a time optimal for the survival of the young in terms of factors such as temperature, food and water. Related sexual interest and behaviors are expressed...
, reproducing once every 12–18 months and usually giving birth to a single offspring. For the first three months, mothers carry their offspring, which reach sexual maturity
Sexual maturity
Sexual maturity is the age or stage when an organism can reproduce. It is sometimes considered synonymous with adulthood, though the two are distinct...
at around 20 months. The Bengal slow loris can live up to 20 years.
The species is listed as "Vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
" on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
, and is threatened with extinction due to a growing demand in the exotic pet
Exotic pet
An exotic pet is a rare or unusual animal pet, or an animal kept as a pet which is not commonly thought of as a pet.The definition is an evolving one; some rodents, reptiles, and amphibians have become firmly enough established in the world of animal fancy to no longer be considered exotic...
trade and traditional medicine
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
. It is one of the most common animals sold in local animal markets. In traditional medicine, it is primarily used by wealthy to middle-class, urban women following childbirth, but also to treat stomach problems, broken bones, and sexually transmitted diseases. It is also hunted for food and suffers from habitat loss. Wild populations have declined severely, and it is locally extinct in several regions. It is found within many protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s throughout its range, but this does not protect them from rampant poaching
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
and illegal logging
Illegal logging
Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of protected species; or the...
. Critical conservation issues for this species include enhancing protection measures, stricter enforcement of wildlife protection laws, and increased connectivity between fragmented protected areas.
Taxonomy and phylogeny
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
known as the Bengal slow loris or northern slow loris, is a strepsirrhine primate in the slow loris
Slow loris
Slow lorises are a group of five species of strepsirrhine primates which make up the genus Nycticebus. Found in South and Southeast Asia, they range from Northeast India in the west to the Philippines in the east, and from the Yunnan province in China in the north to the island of Java in the south...
genus, Nycticebus. Formerly considered a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Sunda slow loris (N. coucang), it was recognized as a distinct species in 2001 by taxonomist and primatologist Colin Groves
Colin Groves
Colin Peter Groves is Professor of Biological Anthropology at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.Born in England on 24 June 1942, Colin Groves completed a Bachelor of Science at University College London in 1963, and a Doctor of Philosophy at the Royal Free Hospital School of...
. It is difficult to distinguish from the other species in its genus.
To help clarify species and subspecies boundaries, and to establish whether morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
-based classifications were consistent with evolutionary relationships, the phylogenetic relationships within the genus Nycticebus have been investigated using DNA sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
s derived from the mitochondrial
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert the chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate...
markers D loop and cytochrome b
Cytochrome b
Cytochrome b/b6 is the main subunit of transmembrane cytochrome bc1 and b6f complexes. In addition, it commonly refers to a region of mtDNA used for population genetics and phylogenetics.- Function :...
. Although most of the recognized lineages of Nycticebus (including N. pygmaeus, N. menagensis and N. javanicus) were shown to be genetically distinct—the analysis suggested that DNA sequences from some individuals of N. coucang and N. bengalensis apparently share a closer evolutionary relationship with each other than with members of their own species. The authors suggest that this result may be explained by introgressive hybridization, as the tested individuals of these two taxa originated from a region of sympatry
Sympatry
In biology, two species or populations are considered sympatric when they exist in the same geographic area and thus regularly encounter one another. An initially-interbreeding population that splits into two or more distinct species sharing a common range exemplifies sympatric speciation...
in southern Thailand; the precise origin of one of the N. coucang individuals was not known. This hypothesis was corroborated by a 2007 study that compared the variations in mitochondrial DNA sequences between N. bengalensis and N. coucang, and suggested that there has been gene flow
Gene flow
In population genetics, gene flow is the transfer of alleles of genes from one population to another.Migration into or out of a population may be responsible for a marked change in allele frequencies...
between the two species.
Anatomy and physiology
The Bengal slow loris is the largest species of slow loris, weighing 1 to 2.1 kg (2.2 to 4.6 lb), and measuring between 26 and 38 cm (10.2 and 15 in) from head to tail. It has a skull length of more than 62 mm (2.4 in). It has dense, woolly, brown-gray fur on its back and white fur on its underside. It also has a clear dark stripe that runs up to the top of its head, but does not extend laterally towards the ears. Its forearm and hand are almost white. The limbs of the pelvisPelvis
In human anatomy, the pelvis is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the lower limbs .The pelvis includes several structures:...
vary in color from brown to nearly white, and the feet are always pale. Moulting may cause seasonal variations in the color of the dorsal surface. Like other slow lorises, its tail is vestigial and it has a round head and short ears. It has a rhinarium
Rhinarium
The rhinarium is the moist, naked surface around the nostrils of the nose in most mammals. In actual scientific usage it is typically called a "wet snout" or "wet nose" from its moist and shiny appearance...
(the moist, naked surface around the nostrils of the nose) and a broad, flat face with large eyes. Its eyes reflect a bright orange eye shine
Tapetum lucidum
The tapetum lucidum is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrate animals....
. On its front feet, the second digit is smaller than the rest; the big toe on its hind foot opposes the other toes, which enhances its gripping power. Its second toe on the hind foot has a curved "toilet-claw
Toilet-claw
A toilet-claw is the specialized claw or nail on the foot of certain primates, used for personal grooming. All prosimians have a toilet claw, but the digit that is specialized in this manner varies. Tarsiers have a toilet claw on toe two and toe three...
" that the animal uses for scratching and grooming, while the other nails are straight.
In addition to being smaller than the Bengal slow loris, the sympatric Sunda slow loris also differs in its coloring: it does not have the pale areas of the head, nape
Nape
The nape is the back of the neck. In technical anatomical/medical terminology, the nape is referred to by the word nucha, which also gives the adjective corresponding to "nape" in English, "nuchal"....
and shoulders, and its overall color is a tawny
Tawny (color)
Tawny is a yellowish brown color. The word means "tan-colored," from Anglo-Norman tauné "associated with the brownish-yellow of tanned leather," from Old French tané "to tan hides," from Medieval Latin tannare, from tannum "crushed oak bark," used in tanning leather, probably from a Celtic source...
- or golden-brown. The pygmy slow loris
Pygmy Slow Loris
The pygmy slow loris is a rare species of loris found in the tropical dry forests of Vietnam, Laos, southern China, and east of the Mekong River in Cambodia....
(N. pygmaeus) is much smaller, with a skull length less than 55 mm (2.2 in). It also lacks the dark dorsal stripe of the Bengal slow loris, has dark brown fur, and longer ears.
The Bengal slow loris has a small swelling on the ventral side of its elbow called the brachial gland, which secretes a pungent, clear oily toxin that the animal uses defensively by wiping it on its toothcomb
Toothcomb
A toothcomb is an anatomical structure found in strepsirrhine primates, which includes lemurs, lorises and galagos. A toothcomb consists of long, flat forward-angled teeth, and includes the lower incisors and the canine teeth...
. The oil has been analyzed using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry is a method that combines the features of gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances within a test sample. Applications of GC-MS include drug detection, fire investigation, environmental analysis, explosives investigation,...
, and it has been shown that almost half of the several dozen volatile
Volatility (chemistry)
In chemistry and physics, volatility is the tendency of a substance to vaporize. Volatility is directly related to a substance's vapor pressure. At a given temperature, a substance with higher vapor pressure vaporizes more readily than a substance with a lower vapor pressure.The term is primarily...
or semi-volatile chemicals present do not occur in the closely related pygmy slow loris. The most predominant component was the phenol
Phenol
Phenol, also known as carbolic acid, phenic acid, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5OH. It is a white crystalline solid. The molecule consists of a phenyl , bonded to a hydroxyl group. It is produced on a large scale as a precursor to many materials and useful compounds...
ic compound m-cresol
M-Cresol
m-Cresol, also 3-methylphenol, is a phenol, with formula C6H4.Amongst its uses it can be used as a solvent for dissolving polymers, most notably the conducting polymer polyaniline...
. The authors of the study suggest that the chemically complex oils may help the lorises communicate with each other, allowing them to transmit by scent information about sex, age, health and nutritional status, and dominance.
Behavior and ecology
Evergreen forest
An temperate evergreen forest is a forest consisting entirely or mainly of evergreen trees that retain green foliage all year round. Such forests exist in the tropics primarily as broadleaf evergreens, and in temperate and boreal latitudes primarily as coniferous evergreens.-Tropical evergreen...
and semi-evergreen rainforests with forest edges and continuous, dense canopies. It can also be found in bamboo groves. It prefers habitats with larger diameter, tall trees with a large crown depth (defined as the length along the main axis from the tree tip to the base of the crown
Crown (botany)
The crown of a plant refers to the totality of the plant's aboveground parts, including stems, leaves, and reproductive structures. A plant canopy consists of one or more plant crowns growing in a given area....
); these areas are typically associated with greater food abundance, and decreased risk of predation. Because of its preference for dense forests, it acts as a good indicator of the ecosystem's health.
The species acts as an important seed disperser
Seed dispersal
Seed dispersal is the movement or transport of seeds away from the parent plant. Plants have limited mobility and consequently rely upon a variety of dispersal vectors to transport their propagules, including both abiotic and biotic vectors. Seeds can be dispersed away from the parent plant...
and pollinator, as well as a prey item for several carnivores. The Bengal slow loris feeds on plant exudates such as sap
Sap
Sap may refer to:* Plant sap, the fluid transported in xylem cells or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant* Sap , a village in the Dunajská Streda District of Slovakia...
, gum
Natural gum
Natural gums are polysaccharides of natural origin, capable of causing a large viscosity increase in solution, even at small concentrations. In the food industry they are used as thickening agents, gelling agents, emulsifying agents, and stabilizers...
s, resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
s, and latex
Latex
Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,...
es, particularly those from the family Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
. Even though the species does not have keeled nails, it will scrape the plant, actively breaking its surface; this behavior resembles that of marmoset
Marmoset
Marmosets are the 22 New World monkey species of the genera Callithrix, Cebuella, Callibella, and Mico. All four genera are part of the biological family Callitrichidae. The term marmoset is also used in reference to the Goeldi's Monkey, Callimico goeldii, which is closely related.Most marmosets...
s and the fork-marked lemurs. Exudates are also obtained by gouging holes in the bark. The winter food supply consists almost entirely of plant exudates. The bastard myrobala (Terminalia belerica), a deciduous tree common in Southeast Asia, is a preferred source for exudates, but it has also been observed taking plant exudates from a number of families
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
: Moraceae
Moraceae
Moraceae — often called the mulberry family or fig family — are a family of flowering plants comprising about 40 genera and over 1000 species. Most are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, less so in temperate climates...
(Artocarpus
Artocarpus
Artocarpus is a genus of about 60 trees of Southeast Asian origin and the Pacific, belonging to the mulberry family, Moraceae.-Description:...
), Magnoliaceae
Magnoliaceae
The Magnoliaceae, or Magnolia Family, is a flowering plant family in the order Magnoliales. It consists of two subfamilies:*Magnolioideae, of which Magnolia is the most well-known genus....
(Manglietia
Manglietia
Manglietia is a genus of plant in family Magnoliaceae. It contains the following species :* Manglietia aromatica, Dandy* Manglietia grandis, Hu & Cheng* Manglietia megaphylla, Hu & Cheng...
), Fabaceae (Acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
, Bauhinia
Bauhinia
Bauhinia is a genus of more than 200 species of flowering plants in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the large flowering plant family Fabaceae, with a pantropical distribution. The genus was named after the Bauhin brothers, Swiss-French botanists....
), Lecythidaceae
Lecythidaceae
The Lecythidaceae comprise a family of about 20 genera and 250-300 species of woody plants native to tropical South America and Madagascar.According to the most recent molecular analysis of Lecythidaceae The Lecythidaceae comprise a family of about 20 genera and 250-300 species of woody plants...
(Careya arborea
Careya arborea
Careya arborea is a species of tree in the Lecythidaceae family, in India. It is known as Kumbhi in Hindi, and Slow Match Tree in English....
), and Sterculiaceae
Sterculiaceae
Sterculiaceae is a botanical name for a group of flowering plants at the rank of family, which is now considered obsolete. As is true for any botanical name, the circumscription, status and placement of the taxon has varied with taxonomic point of view...
(Pterospermum
Pterospermum
Pterospermum is a flowering plant genus. Traditionally included in the family Sterculiaceae, it is included in the expanded Malvaceae in the APG and most subsequent systematics. Pterospermum is based on two Greek words, "Pteron" and "Sperma," meaning "winged seed."Some species are grown...
). Although it will feed on large insects (such as katydids and crickets), gum, snails, small birds, and reptiles, it is primarily frugivorous
Frugivore
A frugivore is a fruit eater. It can be any type of herbivore or omnivore where fruit is a preferred food type. Because approximately 20% of all mammalian herbivores also eat fruit, frugivory is considered to be common among mammals. Since frugivores eat a lot of fruit they are highly dependent...
. Liana
Liana
A liana is any of various long-stemmed, woody vines that are rooted in the soil at ground level and use trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the canopy to get access to well-lit areas of the forest. Lianas are especially characteristic of tropical moist deciduous...
s of the flowering plant genus Bauhinia are a commonly used food source.
A nocturnal animal, the Bengal slow loris has excellent night vision
Night vision
Night vision is the ability to see in low light conditions. Whether by biological or technological means, night vision is made possible by a combination of two approaches: sufficient spectral range, and sufficient intensity range...
, enhanced by a tapetum lucidum
Tapetum lucidum
The tapetum lucidum is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrate animals....
—a layer of tissue in the eye that reflects visible light back through the retina. It sleeps during the day curled up in a ball in dense vegetation or in tree holes. Males and females mark their territory
Territory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
with urine. The species is known to live in small family groups. Animals may practice social grooming
Social grooming
In social animals, including humans, social grooming or allogrooming is an activity in which individuals in a group clean or maintain one another's body or appearance. It is a major social activity, and a means by which animals who live in proximity can bond and reinforce social structures, family...
.
Reproduction
The Bengal slow loris is not a seasonal breederSeasonal breeder
Seasonal breeders are animal species that successfully mate only during certain times of the year. These times of year allow for the births at a time optimal for the survival of the young in terms of factors such as temperature, food and water. Related sexual interest and behaviors are expressed...
, unlike the pygmy slow loris. Females in an estrous cycle
Estrous cycle
The estrous cycle comprises the recurring physiologic changes that are induced by reproductive hormones in most mammalian placental females. Estrous cycles start after puberty in sexually mature females and are interrupted by anestrous phases or pregnancies...
attract males with a loud whistle. Females reproduce every 12–18 months and have a six-month gestation
Gestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
. Because they are not seasonal breeders, females could become pregnant when their offspring are approximately 6 months old, making possible for females to produce two offspring per year. Females typically give birth to a single offspring, although twins rarely occur. This differs from the sympatric pygmy slow loris, which commonly has twins. The mother carries her young about three months before they become independent, although they may be temporarily left on branches while the mother searches for food. Sexual maturity
Sexual maturity
Sexual maturity is the age or stage when an organism can reproduce. It is sometimes considered synonymous with adulthood, though the two are distinct...
is reached at approximately 20 months of age. The species is known to live up to 20 years.
Distribution
The species has the largest geographic range of all slow loris species and is native to Indian subcontinentIndian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
(Northeast India and Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
) and Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
(Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Burma, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, southern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
). It is the only nocturnal primate found in the northeast Indian states, which include Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
, Mizoram
Mizoram
Mizoram is one of the Seven Sister States in North Eastern India, sharing borders with the states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur and with the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Burma. Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on 20 February 1987. Its capital is Aizawl. Mizoram is located in the...
, Nagaland
Nagaland
Nagaland is a state in the far north-eastern part of India. It borders the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam to the north, Burma to the east and Manipur to the south. The state capital is Kohima, and the largest city is Dimapur...
, Meghalaya
Meghalaya
Meghalaya is a state in north-eastern India. The word "Meghalaya" literally means the Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit and other Indic languages. Meghalaya is a hilly strip in the eastern part of the country about 300 km long and 100 km wide, with a total area of about 8,700 sq mi . The...
, Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
and Tripura
Tripura
Tripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...
. It is found in parts of Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
and in southwest Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
in China, and has been recorded in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
Chittagong Hill Tracts
The Chittagong Hill Tracts comprise an area of 13,295 km2 in south-eastern Bangladesh, and borders India and Myanmar . It was a single district of Bangladesh until 1984. In that year it was divided into three separate districts: Khagrachari, Rangamati and Bandarban. Topographically, this is the...
in Bangladesh. It is known from 24 protected areas in Vietnam, and is distributed across most of Thailand. In Burma, it has been reported from Bhamo
Bhamo
Bhamo is a city of Kachin State in northernmost part of Myanmar, located 186 km south from the capital city of Myitkyina. It is on the Ayeyarwady River. It lies within 65 km of the border with Yunnan Province, China. The population consists of Chinese and Shan, with Kachin peoples in...
, Sumprabum
Sumprabum
Sumprabum is a town in the Kachin State of the northernmost part of the Burma .-External links:*...
, Kindat, Chin Hills
Chin Hills
The Chin Hills are a range of mountains in Chin State, northwestern Burma , that extends northward into India's Manipur state. They are part of the Arakan Mountain Range . The highest peak in the Chin Hills is Nat Ma Taung, or Khonumthung , in southern Chin State, which reaches 3,053 meters...
, Pathein
Pathein
Pathein , also called Bassein, is a port city with a 2004 population estimated at 215,600, and the capital of the Ayeyarwady Region, Burma. It lies on the Pathein River , which is a western branch of the Irrawaddy River....
, Thaungdaung and Pegu; populations in Laos have been recorded in the north, central, and southern portions of the country.
The Bengal slow loris is sympatric (shares its range) with the pygmy slow loris in southeast of China, Vietnam, and Laos. The Bengal slow loris is also sympatric with the Sunda slow loris on the southern peninsula of Thailand. In 2001, Groves reported the existence of hybrids between these two species in this region.
Conservation
Listed as "Data DeficientData Deficient
Data Deficient is a category applied by the IUCN, other agencies, and individuals to a species when the available information is not sufficient for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made...
" as recently as 2006 on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
, The Bengal slow loris was evaluated in 2008 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as "Vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
"—a decision based solely on habitat loss due to lack of sufficient field data. It is found within numerous protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s within its range; however, poaching
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
and illegal logging
Illegal logging
Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of protected species; or the...
are rampant while conservation measures are not species-specific. The species can be found in at least 43 protected areas in Northeast India, 14 conservation areas in Laos, and 24 protected areas in Vietnam. It can be found at Lawachara National Park
Lawachara National Park
Lawachara National Park is a major national park and nature reserve in Bangladesh. The park is located at Kamalganj Upazila, Maulvi Bazar District in the northeastern region of the country...
in Bangladesh, and 80% of its range in China is protected. The species has been listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 refers to a sweeping package of legislation enacted in 1972 by the Government of India. Before 1972, India only had five designated national parks...
, and in June 2007, it was transferred along with all other slow loris species to CITES Appendix I, which forbids international commercial trade.
The most severe threats facing the species are the wildlife trade
Wildlife trade
The international wildlife trade is a serious conservation problem, addressed by the United Nations' Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES, which currently has 175 member countries called Parties. The 15th meeting of the Parties took place in Doha,...
(trapping for exotic pet
Exotic pet
An exotic pet is a rare or unusual animal pet, or an animal kept as a pet which is not commonly thought of as a pet.The definition is an evolving one; some rodents, reptiles, and amphibians have become firmly enough established in the world of animal fancy to no longer be considered exotic...
s and use in traditional medicine
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
) and deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
. Slash and burn
Slash and burn
Slash-and-burn is an agricultural technique which involves cutting and burning of forests or woodlands to create fields. It is subsistence agriculture that typically uses little technology or other tools. It is typically part of shifting cultivation agriculture, and of transhumance livestock...
agriculture has also resulted in the destruction of its habitat, and road construction is another factor in its decline. Hunting has been found to be most severe when nearby urban human populations increase. Enhancing protection measures, enforcing current wildlife protection laws, and improving the connectivity between protected areas are factors considered critical to ensure the survival of this species.
The species is commonly sold as a pet and to zoos throughout Southeast Asia. In Cambodia, it was reported in 2006 as one of the most common mammals found in shops and stalls, found in the hundreds and selling for US$0.85 to US$6.25. In the same year, it was found selling for US$2.50 to US$6.30 at bazaars in China (Mengla County
Mengla County
Mengla County is a county under the jurisdiction of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China. The last Indochinese tiger in the wild in China is believed to have been killed near Mengla in 2009...
in Yunnan Province
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
) and US$70 in Thailand. The Bengal slow loris is used in traditional medicine in all of these countries, selling for US$15 in Vietnam, and is also eaten in Vietnam. The animal is predominantly used to prepare treatments for women after childbirth, stomach problems, healing wounds and broken bones, and in the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Primary users are wealthy to middle-class women in urban areas.
Habitat and population trends
Throughout its geographic range, slow lorises are in serious decline. Their habitat has been seriously degraded, and growing human populations will add increasing pressure. In countries like Bangladesh, only 9% of the original forest cover was still present in 2000. In northeastern Cambodia, forests are being cleared at an increasing rate, with a loss of 6% of the natural forest between 1999 and 2000. Within those same years, Myanmar and Thailand lost 14% and 26% of their natural forest, respectively. In Vietnam, only 30% of the original forest cover remains due to the deforestation caused by the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, and only 10% of that includes closed-canopy forests. Habitat destruction remains rampant, and all slow loris populations within its borders are significantly depleted. Populations have been declared locally extinct
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
in southern Quảng Nam Province
Quang Nam Province
Quảng Nam is a province on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is bordered by Thua Thien-Huế province to the north, the nation of Laos to the west, Kon Tum Province to the southwest, Quảng Ngãi Province to the southeast, the South China Sea to the east, and the city of Da Nang to the...
and parts of the highlands, and the same is expected in Song Thanh and Kon Cha Rang nature reserves.
In India, dense forest canopy has been depleted by as much as 55% in some areas and is rapidly disappearing. As early as 1987, the Indo-China region had reportedly lost 75% of the natural habitat for slow lorises. In 1992, the population size was estimated between 16,000 and 17,000 individuals, based on available habitat; however, recent publications report that few individuals remain due a reduced geographic range. The Bengal slow loris may be restricted to a few isolated populations and is in serious threat of becoming locally extinct in parts of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
and Meghalaya
Meghalaya
Meghalaya is a state in north-eastern India. The word "Meghalaya" literally means the Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit and other Indic languages. Meghalaya is a hilly strip in the eastern part of the country about 300 km long and 100 km wide, with a total area of about 8,700 sq mi . The...
. In Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
, its population is declining and under threat.
Population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
has been estimated between 0.03 to 0.33 individuals per km2 in Assam, India according to a study published in 2006. A survey in 2007 at the Thrisna Wildlife Sanctuary and Sipahijola Wildlife Sanctuary
Sipahijola Wildlife Sanctuary
Sipahijola Wildlife Sanctuary is a Wildlife Sanctuary in Tripura, India. It covers an area of about and is located about from the city centre. It is a woodland with an artificial lake and natural botanical and zoological gardens...
in Tripura, India yielded an encounter rate of 0.22 individuals/km, with seven of nine sightings occurring within 1.71 km² (0.660234691193235 sq mi) and most of the animals found at a height of 8 – and near the interior of wet, deciduous forest. In 2008, the species abundance was measured at 0.18 individuals/km at Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary
Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary
The Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, formerly known as the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary or Hollongapar Reserve Forest, is an isolated protected area of evergreen forest located in Assam, India. The sanctuary was officially constituted and renamed in 1997. Set aside initially in 1881, its forests used...
in Assam.
Since the 1990s, China's forests have declined significantly. In Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
and Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
provinces, primary forests are few and isolated, and secondary forest
Secondary forest
A secondary forest is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a major disturbance such as fire, insect infestation, timber harvest or windthrow, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident...
s have been severely degraded. Yunnan has lost 42% of its forests and 2,000 or less slow lorises remain. In Guangxi, the Bengal slow loris is nearly extinct; it has been extirpated in Ningming County
Ningming County
Ningming County is a county of Guangxi, China. It is under the administration of Chongzuo city....
and only a few individuals are left in Jingxi
Jingxi County
Jingxi County is a county of Guangxi, China. It is under the administration of Baise city....
, Longzhou
Longzhou County
Longzhou is a county in the Guangxi province of China, on the border with Vietnam . It is under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city Chongzuo....
and Pingxiang
Pingxiang County
Pingxiang County is a county of Xingtai Prefecture, Hebei Province, China. In the Han Dynasty, Pingxiang County was known as Julu County , the birthplace of Zhang Jiao, Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang.-Administrative Divisions:Towns:...
.