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Cute but venomous animal thought extinct resurfaces after nearly 90 years
FOX Weather • • world
Key Points:
- Scientists have rediscovered the Bangka Slow Loris, a venomous primate species last seen in 1937 and previously thought extinct, on Bangka Island, Indonesia.
- The Bangka Slow Loris is critically endangered, with threats including habitat destruction and proximity to human settlements, roads, and power lines.
- This species is unique as the only known venomous primate, producing toxin by licking a gland on its inner elbow and mixing it with saliva, which can cause severe symptoms or even death in humans.
- Physical identification of the Bangka Slow Loris includes the absence of a second upper incisor, a light-colored face, and a distinct red patch of fur down its back.
- Although locals have encountered and rescued these animals near settlements for years, DNA testing is needed to confirm the species identity and its relation to other slow lorises.
