Rare Baby Pygmy Slow Loris Born at Memphis Zoo

Genny Glassman
·2 min read
1

The Memphis Zoo in Tennessee is celebrating a rare birth. The zoo recently announced the addition of a Pygmy Slow Loris, a super-rare, super-venomous primate. They even shared a video of the pint-sized animal being fed by one of the zoo handlers to announce its momentous birth too.

The primate was born back on December 13, 2023 to two other Pygmy Slow Loris' named Samper and Artemis.

According to the zoo, workers determined that the little one needed some extra assistance, so he is currently being "hand-reared by dedicated staff who feed him every two hours around the clock."

Related: Zoo Animals Cool Down With a Tasty Snack in Video We Can't Resist

Originally they fed him formula, but he has since "graduated" to "a slurry of banana, leaf eater biscuit, water, and formula which he eats out of a bowl."

USA Today reports that the newborn will receive a name once zookeepers get to know his personality better.

All About the Pygmy Slow Loris

The Pygmy Slow Loris is a special primate. You might have noticed that we used the word venomous when describing them— well that's true! Pygmy Slow Loris are the only known venomous primates. They have modified sweat glands near their elbows that allows them to secrete a toxin. When a Pygmy Slow Loris is alarmed, they will lick these glands which transfers the toxins to their teeth, which they in turn use to attack predators. That venom is so strong that it can incapacitate predators as large as some humans.

Native to Southeast Asia, Pygmy Slow Loris are also considered an endangered species. Having large eyes and opposable thumbs really help Pygmy Slow Loris navigate being both nocturnal and living in the tree tops too.

Pygmy Slow Loris eat fruit, insects, tree sap, and nectar. On average they can grow to be about 450g too and are typically solitary creatures. However they may have brief encounters with other Pygmy Slow Loris during their mating season.

While they might look like your favorite stuffy, it should be noted that Pygmy Slow Loris are not pets. Nope, not even if you're an experienced pet owner. They have special dietary needs and can easily get stressed — so should probably be best kept in their natural habitat or exit under the care of trained professionals.

Sadly, Pygmy Slow Loris has been threatened by the loss of their natural habitat and the growing illegal wildlife trade. Which makes the need for wildlife conservation all the more important.

Luckily for this little guy at the Memphis Zoo, he already has a fan base. "Oh wow, he's cute," wrote one man on TikTok. "Me: applying to work at the zoo in Memphis now," someone else joked. "I love him/her from Florida," a third person teased.

Count us among its biggest fans too.

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