Do these little primates stand a chance to live alongside us in the growing urban spaces?
This unique citizen science project is an opportunity to learn about slender loris with scientists and to figure out the possibilities of our coexistence far into the future.
The Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus), is a small nocturnal primate found only in Sri Lanka and Southern India. Slender lorises are arboreal and therefore require continuous forest canopy. This continuity is created by either large trees that are close to each other in old forests or by the climbing vines in forests where the understory is undisturbed. Their preferred diet is mostly insects and fruit.
Habitat Loss: Slender loris is an arboreal species adapted to live in the canopy of trees. With rapid growth in urban spaces, habitat loss caused by loss of trees and vegetation is a big threat to the existence of lorises. Habitat Fragmentation: Unlike primates such as monkeys that jump and also effectively use the ground to move around, lorises require a continuous canopy for their crawling movement. They are known to prefer moving across the trees in their home ranges, rarely coming to the ground. Therefore, breaking canopy continuity can lead to fragmentation of habitats and isolation of populations. Habitat Degradation: Lorises use thick clumps of vegetation made of climbers and creepers for resting & protection from predators. Mothers park their young in such thickets of vegetation, when they go foraging. Large parks in the cities with many trees and good canopy cover, are a potential habitat for lorises but, they are usually maintained by clearing the undergrowth, creepers and climbers, making these parks non-viable for lorises to survive. Human centric transformation of existing green spaces without consideration of lorises threatens their existence. Lack of Awareness: Most citizens and civic authorities are oblivious to the slender loris and similar fauna in cities like Bangalore. Needs of Lorises and other wildlife therefore are not considered when planning development. Lack of awareness about lorises & their distribution in the cities is very likely the biggest detriment, that inadvertently leads to habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation. Other Threats: Other known threats to the Slender Loris are illegal pet trade and their capture for use in archaic practices such as black magic.
Bangalore is home to Slender Loris among 340 species of birds, 160 species of butterflies, 40 species of mammals, 38 species of reptiles, 16 species of amphibians, and 41 species of fish. Slender Loris being a schedule-1 species with unique habitat requirements is well poised to be considered as a flagship species for conservation of urban biodiversity. By involving citizens in the scientific study of Slender Loris, we hope to raise awareness about the species and biodiversity of Bangalore at large while making the common citizen an active participants in biodiversity conservation.