Grey Slender Loris

The Grey Slender Loris is a small nocturnal primate that is found in Sri Lanka and India.

The Sri Lankan variant is divided into two subspecies

Northern Sri Lankan Slender Loris

Highland Slender Loris

Description: The Grey Slender Loris is about the size of a chipmunk, with long, pencil-thin arms and legs. It is between 6-10 in. The round head is dominated by two large, closely set, saucer-like brown eyes. They flank a long nose which ends in a heart-shaped knob. The eyes are surrounded by dark-brown to black circles of fur, while the bridge of the nose is white. It has a small, narrow lower jaw. The ears are large and round. Its coat is Grey-brown.

Habitat: They are able to live in wet and dry forests, as well as lowland and highland forests. Loris prefer thick, thorny vegetation wherein they can easily escape predators and find the large assortment of insects that is the mainstay of their diet.

Behavior: The slender Loris is an arboreal animal and spends most of its life in trees. Their movements are slow and precise. They like to travel along the top of branches. For the most part they hunt by themselves or in pairs at night, although they will come together and share a food supply. They live alone or with a mate and an infant. They will sleep with up to seven other lorises in a hollow tree or sitting up in the angles of branches. They are very social at dusk and dawn, playing, wrestling and grooming each other

Where can I find Grey Slender Loris while on tour?

The nature trail at Jetwing Vil Uyana appears to be the most reliable spot in the country for watching these elusive creatures, where 4-5 resident loris have been recorded and sightings can be obtained on almost every night on specially guided ‘loris watching’ excursions from the hotel. Other areas include Sigiriya moat and the outskirts of Wilpattu National Park, however sightings are much harder to obtain.

Loris have excellent night vision, however their eyes are very sensitive to bright light. Please make sure to use a red light (you can put a layer of red cellophane over a normal torch to get the desired effect) when loris watching. Please also do not take any photographs using the flash as they can be blinded.

Did you know-? Slender Loris breed twice a year, usually between May and December and give birth to one offspring and sometimes two

References:

•  Bernede, L. and S. Gamage. 2006. A Guide to the Slender Lorises of Sri Lanka. Primate Conservation Society of Sri Lanka, Galle, Sri Lanka.
• Perera, M. Sandun J. (2008). “A Review of the Distribution of Grey Slender Loris (Loris lydekkerianus) in Sri Lanka” (PDF). Primate Conservation 23: 89–96.doi:10.1896/052.023.0110.
•  Groves, C. (2005). Wilson, D. E., & Reeder, D. M, eds. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 122. OCLC 62265494. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.