The largest and perhaps most mysterious member of the slow loris family. Its dense, woolly coat is typically grayish-brown with a dark dorsal stripe running from the head down the back. The most arresting feature is its huge, round eyes, which are perfectly adapted for nocturnal life and give it a permanently wide-eyed expression. These eyes aren’t just for show—they’re a vital adaptation for spotting food and avoiding predators in the dark.

Life for the Bengal slow loris is spent almost entirely in the trees, where it moves deliberately and quietly through the canopy. Unlike monkeys, it lacks a tail but has a strong, opposable grip that allows it to hang motionless for long periods. This methodical movement—called “cryptic locomotion”—makes it nearly invisible to predators. Its diet is varied but leans heavily toward tree gum, nectar, fruit, and small insects. Few primates can digest gum as well as the slow loris; it uses its strong jaws to gouge holes in bark and return later to lap up the hardened sap. This feeding behavior not only helps it survive seasonal food shortages but also plays a role in shaping the health of the trees it depends on.

One of the Bengal slow loris’s most remarkable and unusual traits is its ability to produce venom—making it one of the very few venomous mammals in the world. Special glands near its elbows secrete a toxin that the loris mixes with saliva by licking its arms. A defensive bite delivers this venom, which can cause severe swelling and, in rare cases, dangerous allergic reactions in humans. The toxin is also believed to protect its young; mothers have been observed licking their infants, possibly coating them with a deterrent against predators.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Bangladesh

2015

Bhutan

2015

Cambodia

2015

China

2015

India

2015

Laos

2015

Malaysia

2015

Possibly Extant

Myanmar

2015

Thailand

2015

Vietnam

2015