Pygmy loris
| Pygmy loris | ||||||||||||
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Pygmy Lory ( Nycticebus pygmaeus ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Nycticebus pygmaeus | ||||||||||||
| Bonhote , 1907 |
The pygmy lorikeet ( Nycticebus pygmaeus ) is a species of primate from the Loris family (Lorisidae).
features
Dwarf loris are the smallest representatives of the slow loris , they reach a head body length of 18 to 21 centimeters and a weight of 0.3 to 0.5 kilograms, the tail has receded. Their fur is short and dense, it is colored gray-brown to red-brown on the upper side, the underside is white or light gray. The eyes are large and round, a whitish stripe may extend between them. The small, rounded ears protrude only a little from the fur.
distribution and habitat
These primates are native to Southeast Asia , their range extends from southern China ( Yunnan ) via Vietnam and Laos to eastern Cambodia . Their habitat is forests, although they prefer regions with dense undergrowth.
Way of life
Dwarf loris are nocturnal tree dwellers that rarely come to the ground. To sleep they curl up in the vegetation during the day, at night they look for food. Their movements are slow and deliberate, thanks to their modified hands they have a firm grip on the branches.
They live largely solitary. The males mark their territory with urine and react aggressively to other males. However, the territory of one male can overlap with that of several females.
Dwarf loris feed on insects, fruits and sometimes tree sap. When hunting, they sneak up on prey and can then access it in a flash. The male reproduces with the females, whose territories overlap with his. After a gestation period of around 190 days, the female gives birth to one or two young. The young initially clings to the mother's belly, but is later often left behind in the branches while foraging for food. After around 4.5 months, it is weaned and sexually mature at one to one and a half years.
Danger
In Vietnam and Cambodia, dwarf loris are hunted intensively, as there are people there who attribute a healing effect to them. Sometimes they are made into pets or eaten. In some areas, the destruction of their habitat is also a problem. The IUCN estimates that in the last 24 years (three generations) the total population has declined by more than 30% and lists the species as "endangered" ( vulnerable ).
In Germany the species is kept in Augsburg, Dortmund, Leipzig and Stuttgart. However, few holdings have a real perspective, as they are kept behind the scenes or individual animals and confiscated animals are cared for.
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2002, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
supporting documents
Web links
- Information and images from Animal Diversity Web
- Nycticebus pygmaeus in the Endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: U. Strings, V. Ngoc Thanh, T. Nadler, RJ Timmins & A. Nekaris, 2008. Accessed on 16 second in 2009.