Researchers identify more than 90 Bangka slow lorises in Indonesia
The discovery of the rare primate offers hope for a species that had not been documented since the 1930s.
Researchers have identified more than 90 Bangka slow lorises on the Indonesian island of Bangka between 2015 and 2025, according to a Times of India report citing Reuters. The findings, published in the journal Spixiana, suggest the primate has survived despite decades without reliable scientific records.
The Bangka slow loris, or Nycticebus bancanus, was last documented in scientific records between 1930 and 1932. In 2020, the International Union for Conservation of Nature classified the species as Critically Endangered and possibly extinct.
The Alobi Wildlife Rescue Center and conservation group Re:wild highlighted the findings. Many of the animals were found in houses, gardens, plantations, or near roads, with some suffering injuries from electrical wires.
Of the more than 90 individuals identified, 86 were rehabilitated and released into suitable natural habitats. The Alobi Wildlife Rescue Center documented the animals while providing care.
The species is vulnerable to habitat loss caused by tin mining and the expansion of oil palm plantations on Bangka. Slow lorises are also unique among mammals because they produce venom through specialised glands near their elbows.
Researchers stated that systematic field surveys are required to establish the remaining population size and identify where the animals persist to help determine necessary protections.