Slow Loris

Slow Loris

Slow Loris (lajjawati banor) a nocturnal monkey, Nycticebus bengalensis (= N. coucang), belongs to family Loridae and order Primates. Its body length is about 33 cm and weighs 1.2 kg, occurs in the forests of Garo Hills adjoining Jamalpur district, and in the forests of Northeast and Southeast. Body covered with buffy brown to grey small woolly fur; round-headed with owl-like eyes encircled with brown ring; tail stumpy - almost hidden in the fur. A longitudinal brown stripe is present from the crown to back. A normally low moving quadruped but capable of fast climbing; possesses a tight grip.

It is arboreal and usually solitary. Gestation period is about seven months, usually gives birth to one baby; feeds on leaves, shoots, fruits, arthropods, and bird eggs. [M Farid Ahsan]