Fat lemur. Lori: thick and thin. Research work with this species at the Moscow Zoo
Slow lorises are one of five genera of wild animals in the Loriaceae family, consisting of eight species, three of which have been formed quite recently. The main species include the following species: Bengal loris, slow loris, Javan loris, Kalimantan loris and dwarf or small slow loris. In 2013, the study of some individuals that previously belonged to the Kalimantan lorises allowed us to identify three more new species - N. borneanus, N. kayan and N. bancanus.
All representatives of the genus are included in the Red Book as vulnerable or endangered species. The export of slow lorises outside their native countries is prohibited by law and can result in fines and even imprisonment.
The habitat of rare animals extends from Bangladesh and Northeast India to the Philippines and from Chinese province Yunnan to Java Island. They prefer tropical rainforests.
The size of slow lorises can vary depending on the species - body length ranges from 18 to 38 cm, and weight - from 300 grams to 1.5 kg. They are nocturnal animals, so nature rewarded them big eyes with a reflective layer called tapetum, which allows them to see in the dark. The head is rounded, with a short muzzle. The eyes of all representatives of the genus are bordered by dark “glasses” and separated light stripe. Perhaps thanks to this appearance, resembling a clown mask, scientists gave the animals a corresponding name - translated from Dutch “loeris” means “clown”. The fur of slow lorises is soft and thick, its color varies from grayish to yellow, and the hair on the abdomen is lighter. Another one distinguishing feature – dark stripe, running from the neck along the entire spine. The ears are small and round. The hind and forelimbs are well developed, almost equal in length. All toes of slow lorises have nails, with the exception of the second toes of the hind limbs, which are equipped with “cosmetic” claws intended for grooming.
Exotic representatives of the fauna world from Asia lead an arboreal lifestyle in natural environment habitat, practically without descending to the ground. They move with the help of four limbs, moving from branch to branch or moving along them along their length. Animals are endowed with an unusually strong grip of their arms and legs, which does not weaken throughout the day. This feature is explained special structure blood vessels of the extremities, providing intensive blood circulation and metabolism in the muscles during the movement of the animal.
Slow lorises lead night look life, spending most (more than 90%) of the active period alone. Sometimes they can form pairs or small unstable groups. They spend the day curled up in a fork of tree branches and holding them tightly with their paws, or they are located in tree hollows and other suitable shelters that lie at a height. One slow loris can have more than 60 favorite places for relax. With the onset of darkness, the animals become animated and go hunting. They slowly travel along vines and tree branches, clinging to them with their fingers. To mark their territory, males regularly mark its boundaries, not forgetting to update these scent marks. While searching for food, they may accidentally encounter representatives of their own species, with whom their individual areas are adjacent. During such meetings, the animals touch each other, engage in mutual grooming, or communicate with each other through various poses. However, most often they receive information about a congener they have encountered through hearing and smell.
Compared to other mammals of similar size, slow lorises have an extremely slow metabolism, resulting in a very leisurely lifestyle. Their main feature– the smooth and somewhat slow nature of their movements helps them sneak up on prey unnoticed or hide from enemies. True, when lorises are not afraid, they are able to move quite quickly - for example, walking around the territory and leaving marks.
Depending on the time of year, the diet of animals consists of various proportions of fruits, plants, tree resin, bird eggs, nectar, insects, terrestrial mollusks and small vertebrates. Animals catch insects with one or both hands, often grabbing branches with their hind limbs for better balance. The main natural enemies of slow lorises include orangutans, pythons and changeable crested eagles.
Males reach sexual maturity at the age of 17-20 months, females at 18-24 months. Pregnancy lasts 180-190 days, after which the female gives birth to one or two cubs. Newborn lorises hold tightly to their mother’s fur for the first 14 days. Sometimes the female carefully removes the baby and places it in a hollow tree or a secluded fork in the branches, where it sits quietly and unnoticed while the mother forages for food. In case of discomfort, the cub emits a loud chirp, and the female hurries to him. It is believed that in the wild the male does not take part in raising the offspring, but in captivity they can take the cubs and carry them on themselves until they get hungry and want to return to the nurse. After 5-7 months, the baby is separated from the mother’s care, and at the age of 1-1.5 years he becomes old enough to live independently. In captivity, the life expectancy of representatives of the Loriidae family is 20-25 years.
Thick lorises are not the most talkative primates - they use sounds mainly to signal aggression, anxiety, and for communication between the cub and mother.
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Although international trade slow lorises are prohibited and threaten to reduce their population; poachers continue to actively catch and export them for the purpose of selling them as pets. At the same time, the transportation of the animals does not take place, to put it mildly, under the most favorable conditions and many of them die on the road. Mass deforestation also poses a serious threat. tropical forests, whose inhabitants are these arboreal animals. The World Wildlife Fund is making every effort to increase the population of slow lorises, promoting their breeding in reserves and in captivity.
Loriids belong to a fairly large family of primates. These arboreal inhabitants are relatives of the galagidae family, and together form the infra-order Lorisiformes. All members of this genus are classified as vulnerable or endangered species.
Lemur loris in natural conditions
The slow and very cautious animal is predominantly nocturnal. and quite rarely joins groups. This family includes four genera and about ten species, but the slow loris is the most popular.
This is interesting! Around the eyes of representatives of the genus there is a dark border, reminiscent of glasses and separated by a light stripe, due to which scientists gave the name “loeris”, which means “clown” in Dutch.
Characteristics and description
Loris have a thick and soft coat, which is most often gray or brown in color with a darker shade on the back. Characteristic is the presence of large eyes and small ears, which can be hidden under the fur.
The thumbs are opposed to the others, and the index fingers can be classified as vestigial organs. The tail is short or completely absent. Depending on the species, the body length varies between 17-40 cm, with a body weight of 0.3-2.0 kg.
The most common types in nature are:
- small or dwarf loris with a body length of 18-21 cm;
- slow loris with a body length of 26-38 cm;
- Javan loris with a body length of 24-38 cm;
- slow loris with a body length of 18-38.
This is interesting! In nature, the animal periodically falls into prolonged hibernation or the so-called state of physiological torpor, which allows the animal to relatively easily survive hunger or adverse external influences of weather factors.
Habitat
Loriaceae in natural conditions inhabit tropical forests in the territory Central Africa, and are also common in some areas of South and Southeast Asian countries. The little loris lives in the forest areas of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. The area of distribution of the slow loris is the territory of the Malay Peninsula, the islands of Sumatra, Java and Borneo.
The Javan loris is endemic. It inhabits the central and western part Indonesian island of Java. Slow lorises are native to the rainforests of Bangladesh, northeastern India, Indochina and western Indonesia, and are also found on the northern edge of China and the eastern Philippines.
Lemur food
Under natural conditions, the standard diet Lori's nutrition includes both living organisms and food of plant origin. The exotic animal feeds on various crickets, lizards, small birds and their eggs.
The peculiarity of the loris is its ability to eat even poisonous caterpillars and insects, as well as consume resinous secretions tropical trees. Plant foods also play an important role in the lemur's diet. The animal easily eats fruits, vegetables, herbs, as well as flowering parts of various tropical plants.
Features of reproduction
An exotic animal is characterized by selectivity in finding a mate and in creating a family.. The lemur loris can search for its mate for a long time, remaining alone for a long period of time. The gestation period slightly exceeds six months, after which one or two cubs are born. Newborn babies are already covered with relatively thick fur, which serves as excellent protection from adverse conditions. external influences. The weight of the cub usually does not exceed 100-120 grams, but may vary slightly depending on the species characteristics of the animal.
This is interesting! Not only adults communicate through a certain set of sound signals, but also baby lorises, which, when discomfort occurs, are capable of emitting a fairly loud chirp, and upon hearing it, the female hurries to her baby.
For one and a half to two months, females carry the cubs on themselves. The small animals tenaciously cling to the thick fur on their mother’s belly, but can periodically move to the father’s fur, returning to the female only to feed. The duration of lactation of the loris lemur, as a rule, does not exceed five months. Little lemurs acquire independence only at the age of one and a half years, when they are fully strengthened and receive all the vital skills from their parents.
Enemies in nature
Lorises live in the crowns of tall tropical trees, where the animal is able to find shelter, food and protection from many enemies, so this exotic animal rarely descends to the ground. To avoid becoming prey to various predators, lemurs use four limbs to move from branch to branch.
The unusual animal is endowed with a very strong grip, which lasts throughout the day and does not allow the animal to fall to the ground from fatigue. This feature is due to the special structure of the blood vessels in the extremities. The high intensity of blood circulation and metabolic processes prolongs the time of movement of the loris to maximum values.
This is interesting! During the first half of the year, more than half of the loris cubs die not only from various diseases, but also become prey to hawks or poachers, which makes it possible to classify the animal as an endangered species.
Smooth and slow movements - characteristic difference lori. Such behavioral feature often helps the animal to hide from natural enemies, the main of which are nocturnal predator birds, as well as snakes. On earth, almost any large predator poses a danger to lemurs. Main natural enemies Slow lorises include orangutans, as well as variable crested eagles and large pythons.
IN Lately loris, along with many other exotic representatives of the animal world, suffer greatly from active fishing, deforestation, and significant intensification of human activity even in the most remote corners globe. The very high demand of exotic connoisseurs for lemurs has greatly increased the flow of unauthorized trade in many tropical animals, including lorises.
Despite the fact that in natural conditions lorises are usually solitary, in captivity, such animals very willingly live in pairs or small groups, so lemurs will need to equip a fairly spacious enclosure. If a terrarium is chosen as a home, then there should be approximately one cubic meter of usable area per adult.
Keeping several male animals indoors at once often becomes the cause of conflicts, which often end not only in the stress of the animal, but also in deep, severe lacerations. Among other things, males tend to mark their territory, so they mark objects indoors with urine and constantly update their scent marks. Removing such marks causes stress for the pet and can even cause the death of the loris.
Diet, nutrition of loris
Today, owners of such exotic animals do not have the opportunity to use fully prepared dry food to feed lorises, so the animal’s main diet should include daily following products power supply:
- pears or apples;
- fresh cucumbers and carrots;
- papaya or melon;
- not too ripe bananas and kiwis;
- raspberries and cherries;
- quail eggs.
It is also very important to supplement the loris’ diet with insects, which can include caterpillars, dragonflies, cockroaches and crickets, and shrimp scalded with boiling water. You can occasionally treat your pet with baby cottage cheese, vegetable and fruit baby purees, nuts, crackers, milk and unsweetened cookies.
Important! Remember that as a result of stress and disturbances in the feeding diet, diabetes can develop, and without proper and timely treatment, the lemur dies very quickly.
Features of care
Of course, not every lover of exotic pets has the opportunity to create a optimal conditions content. Many owners of such tropical animals are disappointed that lemurs are able to sleep curled up in a ball for the whole day. Also, not everyone can get used to the fact that the bites of an angry loris are very painful, and there are even several cases where such a bite provoked anaphylactic shock.
However, there are a significant number of advantages to keeping such an exotic animal at home:
- No unpleasant odor from animal fur;
- gets along well with other pets;
- does not require regular water procedures;
- animal fur does not cause asthmatic attacks or allergic reactions;
- there is no damage to furniture, wallpaper, wiring or interior items;
- adult individuals do not require mandatory castration and sterilization;
- There is no need to systematically trim the claws.
It is important to remember that the loris lemur is a wild animal and, even in a domesticated state, does not allow itself to be trained to a litter tray, can bite and does not at all respond to the nickname given to it by its owner.
Reproduction in captivity
Sexual maturity of male lorises occurs at the age of 17-20 months, and females become sexually mature a little later, at about 18-24 months. At home, loris lemurs breed extremely rarely and very reluctantly. If in its natural habitat a female gives birth only once a year, then at home, even when creating the most comfortable stay, the animal can give birth to one or two cubs in its entire life.
According to the observations of those who raise lorises at home for a long time, it is very difficult to notice pregnancy in a female, so the owner, as a rule, discovers a “new” pet only after its birth. After about six months, the cub is separated from maternal care, and at the age of one and a half years, the loris becomes old enough to live independently. In captivity, when creating maximum comfort for a pet, an exotic animal can live for two decades, and sometimes more.
A few years ago, a real boom swept across our country, and many animal lovers began to purchase loris to keep in city apartments or a private house. A significant part of the markets in southeast Asia was flooded with a huge number of these animals, which began to be massively imported to many countries for absolutely ridiculous money. The long and difficult journey is accompanied by the death of many animals as a result of severe exhaustion, thirst or hypothermia, so acquiring a healthy exotic is quite difficult.
Important! When choosing, be sure to perform a visual inspection of the animal. The coat should be quite fluffy. A healthy individual has white, strong teeth. The eyes should be shiny, without any discharge.
Tropical animals sold in nurseries must have a veterinary passport, as well as a health certificate and a certificate of origin. The average cost of an individual may vary depending on the species, rarity, age and growing conditions. Private breeders offer six-month-old lorises at prices ranging from 5-8 thousand rubles to three tens of thousands of rubles or more. Prices for an animal from a nursery start at 50 thousand rubles and can exceed 120 thousand rubles.
Nycticebus
According to 2010 data, the genus Nycticebus consists of four types:
1. Pygmy loris, ( Nycticebuspygmaeus)
2. Javan lory ( Nycticebusjavanicus)
3. Slow loris ( Nycticebuscoucang)
4. Bengal loris ( Nycticebusbengalensis)
The Javan loris was formerly considered a subspecies, but was later classified as separate species. These prosimians live in different parts South-East Asia.
Habitats of the genusNycticebushighlighted in red. IllustrationPrimateInfoNet.
Slow lorises are tree-dwelling primates that walk along branches on four legs. They are omnivorous and nocturnal. The main diet of the loris is plants and insects. Slow lorises sleep in daytime, curled up in a ball in the trees high above the ground. The predators that pose the main threat to their lives are pythons ( Pythonreticulatus), crested eagles ( Spizaetuscirrhatus) and orangutans ( Pongopygmaeus). The metabolism of slow lorises is slightly slower than that of mammals of the same size (Gron, 2009).
Colors and patterns of species and subspecies Nycticebus. Illustration taken from Loris Conservation website.
Different sides of toxicity
The very concept of “poisonous” can have two cardinal meanings: different meanings. (IN English language The words “venomous” and “poisonous” can be used interchangeably in speech, but they do not mean the same thing at all). So there are toxins released special body animal and become poisonous only when it enters the victim’s body, for example, through a bite ( Englishvenom). They should be distinguished from ready-made poison, which some animals initially produce using special organs. Such poison enters the victim’s body through inhalation or contact with a poisonous animal ( Englishpoison).
Blue dart frog ( Dendrobatesazureus) is an example of an individual whose mucus contains a strong poison, while spectacled snake (Najanaja) is considered poisonous due to its deadly venomous bite.
Brachial gland of the slow loris
The flexor or ventral surface of the elbow of the slow loris has a slightly protruding, barely visible knob, which is the brachial gland (Hageye et al., 2006; Kranee et al., 2003). Observations of slow lorises living in captivity have shown that when the animal is disturbed by being handled, it secretes about 10 microliters (μL) of a clear, strong-smelling liquid in the form of apocrine sweat (exudate) from the brachial gland. Usually at this moment both females and males of the slow loris take a defensive pose. They tilt their heads down and lift their front paws up, rubbing secretions from the brachial gland into their head and neck. Loris often lick the brachial gland and rub their head against it. The brachial gland of lorises begins to fully function when they reach the age of 6 weeks (Hageyetal., 2006).
The illustration shows the brachial gland (dark area) on the ventral surface of the foot of a slow loris. Drawing by Helga Schulze (Kraneetal., 2003).
Brachial gland secretion and allergenFeld 1
The brachial gland produces an allergen similar to that produced by cats (Hageye et al., 2006; Kranee et al., 2003). This brachial gland secretion is similar to that of a cat not only in sequence, but also in the structure of the heterodimeric disulfide bond. Fel D 1 allergen is found mainly in the saliva and sebaceous glands of domestic cats, Feliscatus. Cat allergy sufferers react to 5 allergens produced by domestic cats, including Fel D 1. However, the biological function of Fel D 1 is still currently unknown (Grönlund et al., 2010).
So are slow lorises actually poisonous?
To answer this question, let's remember once again the difference in the definition of the word “poisonous”. A venomous animal injects toxins into the victim's body when it bites. An animal whose body produces toxins can only be potentially poisonous if those toxins enter the victim's body through inhalation or absorption. Literary sources they say that people become victims of loris venom due to a bite, and not because the venom enters the human body through contact with the primate. So are lorises poisonous? Not really.
Slow lorises have needle-sharp teeth on lower jaw. Given the constant habit of licking the brachial gland, it is not surprising that the sharp teeth and secretions of the brachial gland are related to the poisoning of unsuspecting victims. However, this is not the main thing.
The sharp tooth comb, which can look quite menacing, serves mainly for grooming, and therefore its function is less sinister than imagined. The bite of the slow loris is so painful precisely because of the sharpness of its teeth.
Illustration of slow loris teeth taken from the websiteLorisConservation. The tooth ridge is located on the lower jaw and is shaped like a shovel.
According to Wilde's (1972) reports, victims of slow loris bites go into anaphylactic shock (an extreme allergic reaction) followed by hematuria. Despite this, they always recover. There are no clinical signs toxic substances in the saliva of slow lorises, which could support the myth that they are poisonous (Wilde, 1972).
There is a known case in which a 34-year-old woman, 19 weeks pregnant, was bitten by a pygmy loris in the zoo where she worked. She only complained about sharp pain in the place where she was bitten. No allergic reactions, much less anaphylactic shock, were noted (Kalimullah et al., 2008).
Reports of slow loris bites are not often accompanied by photographs. However, based on such reports, it can be concluded that the loris' bite is not at all poisonous (Kalimullah et al., 2008; Wilde, 1972). Due to the similarity of the loris brachial gland secretion allergen and the Feld 1 allergen of domestic cats, the anaphylactic shock described by victims of loris bites is probably nothing more than a reaction to the secretion allergen.
What is the function of the brachial gland in this case?
Hagey (2007) states that the brachial gland is used as an olfactory signal to indicate home and territory boundaries. Most nocturnal primates rely on their sense of smell, and the slow loris is no exception. Because the brachial secretion is a response to stress or danger, its function may be to deter predators, warn other lorises of danger, or both (Hagey et al., 2006).
I look forward to studying more of these prosimians and the properties of their brachial gland secretions. A much more in-depth study of the evidence from loris bites is necessary in order to clarify the effect of the secretion of the brachial gland on humans.
Are slow lorises really venomous?
Listliterature :
Gron, K.J. 2009. Primate Factsheets: Slow Loris (Nycticebus) Taxonomy, Morphology & Ecology. Prime Info Net Retrieved October 19, 2010
Grönlund, H. Saarne, T. Gafvelin, G. van Hage, M. 2010. The Major Cat Allergen, Fel d 1, in Diagnosis and Therapy. International Archives of Allergy and Immunology 151(4): 265-274.
Hagey, L.R. Fry, B. G. Fitch-Snyder, H. 2007. Talking Defensively: A Dual Use for the Brachial Gland Exudate of Slow and Pygmy Lorises. Primate Anti-Predatory Strategies 2: 253-272
Krane, S. Itagaki, Y. Nakanishi, K. Weldon, P.J. 2003. “Venom” of the slow loris: sequence similarity of prosimian skin gland protein and Fel d 1 cat allergen. Naturwissenschaften 90: 60-62.
Kalimullah, E.A. Schmidt, S.M. Schmidt, MJ. Lu, J.J. 2008. Beware the Pygmy Slow Loris? Clinical Toxicology 46(7): 602.
Wilde, H. 1972. Anaphylactic Shock Following Bite by a ‘Slow Loris’, Nycticebus coucang. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 21(5): 592-594.
It is probably the most exotic pet of all possible in domestic apartments. This extraordinary creature captivates with its bizarre appearance, because any lover of domestic animals will be happy to hold such a soft fluffy ball with large expressive eyes.
However, few people think that living creatures are different, and keeping such an exotic animal as a lemur requires serious preparation. Today we will analyze Loriids as a taxon, understand their habits, character, and also go through the varieties.
In fact, to be very precise, the loris is not quite a lemur. These animals belong to the suborder of wet-nosed primates, and the Loriidae family itself has for some time now been included in a separate infraorder of Lorisiformes, on equal rights in world taxonomy with lemur-like animals. Here is a clarification for lovers of scientific accuracy.
However, the loris lemur has been a related taxon for so long that we will no longer focus our attention on this detail, and will sometimes call this primate in the old fashioned way a lemur. That's what we agreed on.
Habitat
is a pronounced endemic of its habitat.
The native home of this animal is the tropical forests of the South- East Asia, they live mainly in the countries of the Indochina Peninsula, and some species can also live in India and on the island. Sri Lanka.
Most of the world population of these animals lives in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, and Cambodia.
Appearance
Well, there's a lot to talk about here. This ex-lemur is a real star of television screens, not to mention the attention that this intricate appearance attracts funny animal among a public unaccustomed to such exoticism.
This animal resembles a cross between a monkey, a sloth and a tarsier. Many people mistakenly believe that the loris is a prosimian. Other “experts” believe that lorises, as well as indris, tupai, tarsiers, arms and galagos are all representatives of the same family.
Yes, everyone except the tupaya is primate. However, they all have significant differences from each other, both external and behavioral. Although galagos are indeed extremely close to this animal in anatomy, as well as appearance. However, we digress.
So what does this little big-eyed primate look like? This is a small animal whose weight, as a rule, ranges from 250 g to 1.5 kg. depending on the variety. The colors of different types of these animals may also differ. But we will still give a generalized description.
This primate usually has a brownish-red coat color. It has very tenacious limbs adapted for climbing trees. The animal is helped in this by thin fingers, which are equipped with sharp claws. But there was no luck with the loris tail.
On the head of the animal there is a pair of small ears and a pair of very large eyes. The eyes of a loris are a separate matter. This one is the same business card looks like the spectacled pattern of a cobra or the luxurious tail of a peacock.
The eyes of this primate are really very large, round, like 2 saucers. Moreover, there is a dark edging around them, forming glasses. This gives the animal a pitiful appearance, perhaps stimulating the desire to have such a charmer at home as a pet among lovers of cute exotics.
Well, the description of this little primate would be incomplete if we forgot to mention its very sharp teeth. This ex-lemur has needle-sharp teeth, which he uses when asserting his rights to territory or a female.
Varieties
The Loriidae family is not as diverse as others taxonomic groups order of primates.
Today there are only 3 main types of Loriaceae, namely:
- Slender lorises.
- Slow loris.
- Small slow lorises.
The slender loris is the smallest of all. The length of its body is 16-22 cm, the tail is 5 cm, and its weight is only 250-300 g. This animal is no larger than a squirrel in size, but it is the same primate as its larger relatives. However, it is not smaller in size than other Loriids, this is a fact.
The habitat of these big-eyed babies is the evergreen tropical forests of India, as well as about. Sri Lanka.
This species has several subspecies. Namely, there are gray and red slender loris. Gray subspecies has a characteristic ash color, while red differs from other varieties in its reddish-beige color.
The small slow loris, or slow loris, as it is also called, will be larger in size than the slender loris. Their body length ranges from 18-25 cm, and their weight can reach 700 g.
This primate lives in the bamboo and tropical forests of Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. This slow loris leads the same nocturnal lifestyle as its other brothers. The small loris is beige in color over most of its body with a rufous rump. Otherwise, this pygmy loris differs little in general external features from other varieties.
The great slow loris is a real giant next to its fellow taxon. These big-eyed animals can reach 20-36 cm in length without a tail, and the weight of some individuals can be 1.2-1.5 kg.
The slow loris and, especially, the red slender loris next to such a relative can feel like dwarfs, inferior in size to themselves to a major representative family almost doubled.
Such animals live in almost all countries of the Indochina Peninsula, as well as in Bangladesh, India and even in the western part of the Philippine Island.
If we do not say a bad word about other animals of this taxon regarding their behavior, then such a “monkey” can pose a danger to humans. When irritated, this primate uses its sharp teeth, which, moreover, are equipped with a kind of poison. Such is the poisonous loris, as it turns out.
This poisonous species has several subspecies. We will focus on just one. The Javan slow loris is notable because it is on the verge of extinction, including due to the capture of these animals for the purpose of selling them as pets.
Lifestyle and behavior
Now let's talk about the character traits of these animals, and also get acquainted with their way of life in the wild.
All species and subspecies of this family, be it the Javan loris or the red slender loris, are endemic to the evergreen tropical forests of South and East Asia, as we have already said.
They prefer to live at heights, among the treetops. These primates practically do not descend to the ground at all. These are exclusively arboreal creatures, well adapted to the habitat that nature has assigned them.
In some ways, these animals resemble sloths. They are also slow and unhurried, never in a hurry.
To move along branches and tree trunks, these animals are equipped with very strong limbs, as well as tenacious toes. The owners of these animals know very well that removing a loris that has grabbed onto something is the most difficult task.
They are also exclusively nocturnal and twilight creatures, whose eyes are perfectly adapted for night vision and are not at all designed for daytime vigil.
In the light of day, as soon as it dawns, these animals hide in the dense foliage among the branches and go to bed. An excellent night light for these high-altitude climbers are hollow trees or abandoned bird nests, where it is quite possible to find a sleeping animal curled up.
With the onset of dusk, the animal wakes up, washes itself, and behaves actively, as they say. Further, when night darkness reigns over the forest, the animal goes in search of food.
The diet of this primate includes plant foods with some inclusions of protein foods. Regardless of the species, be it a large Javan loris or a smaller red slender loris, this animal happily eats all kinds of fruits, but does not disdain to feast on bird eggs, and can catch and eat a small lizard or even a bird.
This lemur's diet also includes insects, including poisonous caterpillars and beetles, as well as the resin of some trees.
Lemur loris at home
A domestic lemur is nonsense for a naturalist, but quite normal for a simple lover of glamorous exoticism. Let's say it right away and directly.
Despite the fact that primates different types, especially from the Loriaceae family, are often bought and kept at home; such a purchase cannot be called otherwise than inappropriate. Not to mention the moral component of the issue.
Of the hundreds of lovers, only a few have all the necessary knowledge of how to properly care for such a pet, and what the consequences of improper maintenance and handling of the toothy primate are for both the owner and the animal itself.
We have already mentioned more than once such a species as the Javan loris. This is not just one of the large varieties of its taxon, but a species officially classified by the world conservation community as an endangered animal species.
This endemic inhabitant of the island. Java has been subjected to barbaric human persecution for many years. After all, it was the Javan loris that for a long time was the same loris in a cage, imprisoned in captivity due to its attractive and funny appearance.
What, together with the destruction of the habitat in his homeland, has now led to this plight cases of this type.
These wonderful bug-eyed creatures have recently begun to gradually push dogs and cats out of our homes. This is not bad, because the lemur Laurie small animal, which is on the verge of extinction!!! And at least in this way we can extend his life, and maybe stop extinction? Of course, you need to know about some aspects of the content, and this is what we will talk about.
Description of the lemur Lori
The size of a lemur Lori about the size of an average cat, he has huge eyes And weight up to 10 kg. Color, usually yellow, but sometimes brownish. Males are much calmer than females, and the pet itself quickly becomes attached to the owner, loves to sit on the arms and just be caressed.
How long do Lori lemurs live?
In the wild Lori lives for about 20 years, but at home proper care 30 years!
Where do Lori's lemurs live?
Lemur Lori lives on the islands of Comoros and Madagascar. Lemur It looks like a living toy, and sadly, it’s a stupid and, moreover, touchy little animal. No matter how hard you try, you will not be able to train such an animal; you will only anger the pet and get bitten. The most unpleasant thing, perhaps, is that he cannot be trained to use the litter box; he will go to the toilet anywhere! Not only that lemur nocturnal lifestyle, and its nutrition occurs at the same time.
FOOD AND MAINTENANCE OF THE LEMURA LORI
What to feed the lemur Lori
Lemur eats animal and plant foods: vegetables, fruits, bread, cereals, chicken eggs, dairy products, chicken fillet, milk worms and insects. Laurie loves sweets, and if he refuses food, add honey to it, and your pet will be much more willing to eat the food. Hand feed your pet from the very beginning so that he gradually gets used to you without feeling threatened. But under no circumstances feed from our table! The best diet for this animal is a third of everything (fruits and vegetables, cereals, insects, fermented milk products); if the diet is not prepared in this way, the loris may get sick. To ensure that you always have insects in your diet, you can freeze them in the freezer in the summer!
Keeping the lemur Lori at home
To begin with, the baby will need a spacious cage or enclosure, since it will take him a long time to get used to the new environment. You can make rods from any material, the main thing is to create them in a cage natural conditions– a house, a nest, trees, branches, just don’t overdo it, free places are also necessary. Place several bowls for water and food, change the water daily.
Place the cage in a quiet place, without drafts, direct sun rays and sources of intense heat (radiators). It is also necessary to install a UV lamp; turn it on during the day for several hours.
Perform general cleaning daily, wiping everything with a damp cloth and removing waste; besides, it is better to throw away old products so that they do not cause poisoning. Of course, over time the animal will get used to it, and you can let it out for a walk in your house, getting used to being handled, but it does not get along at all with children and other pets.
Lemur Lori interesting facts
1. Lemur Lori does not adapt well to natural conditions
2. In essence, lemur resembles a sloth
3. Laurie slow due to its massiveness
4. In captivity Laurie rarely reproduce, so the species becomes extinct
5. U Laurie several babies may be born
6. Most time on the baby's back is carried by the father, not the mother
7. Laurie mark their territory with urine
8. Laurie can eat small birds
VIDEO: LORRY LEMUR
IN THIS VIDEO YOU WILL SEE WHAT A LEMURE LORI LOOKS LIKE AND YOU WILL LEARN A LOT OF USEFUL AND INTERESTING