Common name : Forest baby
Scientific name : Loris tardigradus malabaricus, Loris lydekkerianus
Family : Lorisidae
Native to : India and Sri Lanka
Interesting fact : The slender loris rubs urine over its hands, feet and face. This is thought to protect it against the sting of toxic insects.
Conservation status : Endangered
It is about the size of a chipmunk, with long, pencil-thin arms and legs. They have become near extinct in Tamil Nadu, where they are poached for keeping as illegal pets. They are arboreal, moving with slow and steady movements along branches. Young babies are kept on the back, and then ‘parked’ on branches till they learn to be independent.
