Loris slim red

Handmade print signed with an illustration of a red slender loris. Black and white drawing originally made with nib and black ink on paper.

About the red slender loris

The red slender loris is a species of primate of the family Lorisidae. Native to the jungles of Sri Lanka, it is nocturnal. It feeds on lizards, insects, eggs, small invertebrates and leaves.

It is generally small in size, measuring between 17.5 and 26 cm and weighing about 85-350 g. It has two distinctive large eyes for accurate depth perception. It has two distinctive large eyes that allow for accurate depth perception; it also has a well-developed index finger, as well as ears (without hair on the edges). Its skin is smooth and dense, reddish-brown, except on the belly, where the fur is whitish-gray. It has no tail.

It is a threatened species, especially due to habitat destruction. It is hunted and killed extensively to make supposed remedies for eye diseases, and also as a laboratory animal. Other threats include: electrocution in cattle fences, road accidents, pet trafficking.3 It was thought to be extinct but in recent years a few specimens have been sighted.