IAR News

May 2007

Slow loris is rescued from the roadside in Jakarta

A slow loris has been rescued from a roadside seller in Jakarta by an English man who took pity on the animal as he was driving past. He then got in touch with IAR and Femke den Haas paid him a visit to check on the animal and advise him on its care. It will be some months yet before our centre in Ciapus is ready to take in rescued animals, but thankfully the kind man, who lives in Jakarta, agreed to keep the slow loris until our team is able to take it in: he is even constructing an enclosure to keep the little creature safe and comfortable for the next few months. This slow loris was one of the lucky ones, having been saved from a life in captivity by some one with the sense and compassion to know that primates belong in the wild, not chained up or caged as pets.

Alan Knight, CEO of International Animal Rescue, says: "This slow loris had a narrow escape. Thankfully, a wonderful act of compassion has saved it from a terrible fate and we hope it will survive the trauma of its capture and make a full recovery. This incident highlights the desperate need to get our rescue and rehabilitation centre up and running as soon as possible so that we're able to take on the care of animals like this one."

Tragically, many of the slow lorises that are taken from the wild die from trauma before they are even sold on as pets. They suffer terrible stress from exposure to the sunlight. These timid creatures normally move about quietly in the darkness of the night. The pet markets, where they are surrounded by other animals and people, are a nightmare for them.

To protect themselves from the venomous bite slow lorises use to defend themselves, traders cruelly cut the animals' teeth using wire cutters. This ghastly mutilation causes terrible infections, often leading to a slow and painful death.

Numbers of this endangered primate are difficult to assess and there are not yet any numbers for lorises in the wild. However, it is possible that the illegal trade has caused populations to drop dramatically.

International Animal Rescue Indonesia is working to put an end to the trade in lorises. A new rescue facility specialising in the care of this species is being built in Ciapus (Bogor). Working closely with universities and scientists the aim, whenever possible, is to return these animals to the wild. In order to do that, intensive studies must be carried out on the genetics, taxonomy and the origin of these primates. Eventually we will create a network throughout the whole country and even internationally. IAR will also provide lifelong sanctuary for those animals that have had their teeth knocked out and are no longer able to survive in the wild.

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