Nycticebus pygmaeus Bonhote, 1907

Pygmy loris

Species recognized by The Integrated Taxonomic Information System external link, T Orrell (custodian) in 
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable (VU) external link Showing: scientific names

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Biology

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Copyright Wildscreen 2003-2008. Some rights reserved external link
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By day, lorises are known to sleep curled up in the fork of a tree (2), but during the night, these animals can be seen moving slowly and deliberately through the trees on all fours (2) (5). They walk and climb along tree limbs, and stretch between terminal branches to cross to a neighbouring tree (5). Pygmy lorises feed on insects, seizing flying insects in their hands whilst they grip a branch with both hindfeet (2). This protein-rich food is supplemented with fruit, as well as gum from trees (3). To digest these gums, lorises possess unusually large cecums, a bag joining the large intestine that houses bacteria which enables these sugary gums to be broken down (5). It is thought that this ability to feed on gum helps pygmy lorises survive times when there is a shortage of other food sources (3). The pygmy loris gives birth to just a single young each year, after a gestation period of 184 to 200 days. The young are weaned at the age of 123 to 146 days (3), but generally stay within their mother's territory until they are sexually mature and establish a range of their own (5). The life span of the pygmy loris is believed to be about 20 years (3).
"Nycticebus pygmaeus Bonhote, 1907". Encyclopedia of Life, available from "http://www.eol.org/pages/326539". Accessed 19 Mar 2010.