The Slow Loris: Cute But Deadly

You have probably seen one of these videos of the adorable Slow Loris around the internet the past few years. They are almost painfully cute but are actually poisonous and greatly endangered. Slow Lorises are found in southern and south-eastern Asia and are among the rarest primates on earth. The Slow Loris is nocturnal and has forward-facing eyes and hands with opposable thumbs that are almost human-like.

They are one of a handful of poisonous mammals in the world. The Slow Loris produces venom from glands on the insides of their elbows and when threatened they lick the area in order to venomize their bites. The "venom" is a concentrated protein that acts as an allergen and can cause death by anaphylactic shock. 

The Slow Loris is endangered due to habitat loss and hunting for illegal pet and traditional medical trades. Thousands of Slow Lorises are poached from the wild and sold illegally on the street. The International Animal Rescue has set up a treatment facility in Ciapus, Java to care for Slow Lorises that have been confiscated from animal markets or surrendered by their owners. You can help protect these adorable primates by adopting a Slow Loris through International Animal Rescue.

A "Flying Rodent" No More

Bats are more closely related to humans and other primates than they are to rodents.

 Picture from Discovery Kids

While they might look like a rodent, several evolution studies indicate that the Old World fruit bats and flying foxes may actually be descended from early primates such as lemurs. 

What The Heck Is That?

Did you see something that you just couldn't explain or even begin to comprehend what it might be? That's how we felt we first laid eyes on this creature. For those missing the thrills and chills of Halloween, this little guy can sure give you a scare!

It's an aye-aye, a rare animal that is found only on the island of Madagascar. To be fair, this is a baby aye-aye whose fur hasn't fully grown in yet; they do get a little cuter when they get older. A little...

They don't look like it but aye-ayes are primates, relatives to chimpanzees, apes and yes, humans. They have opposable big toes that help them dangle from branches. The aye-aye is also distinguished by its big eyes and bushy tail, which is longer than its body.

Good Fathers - Marmosets

Does having children make men smarter? I know that's not the way it's played out on TV sitcoms, but there is some pretty solid evidence that becoming a dad increases brain power and learning among Marmosets.

Marmosets are small primates found in the jungles of South America. They live in stable, family groups consisting of a monogamously mated pair, offspring and extended family members. When babies are born, it is almost always fraternal twins. The father helps the mother through delivery; he cleans the infants and carries them on his back for their first months of life. When the infants need nursing, he will return them to their mother, and both parents partake in the socially important ritual of grooming their young. When the babies are weaned to solid food, it is the father who feeds them and teaches them where to find a meal.

Scientists were conducting experiments on marmosets to test male testosterone levels when introduced to the scent of ovulating females. In most other primates, male testosterone levels shot up, making them more aggressive and anxious to mate. Not so among marmoset dads. Their testosterone levels remained the same, perhaps because they need to remain available to their mate and committed to the rearing of their children. A subsequent study comparing marmoset fathers with marmosets who had no off-spring found that the dads had better connected neurons and more activity in the prefrontal cortex of their brain. The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that allows higher, more complex planning and the ability to handle tasks. According to the scientists, it was not the simple act of fathering a child that caused the increased brain connectivity, but the process of parenting. Marmoset fathers are responsible for over 70% of their offspring's care. Nice to know they've got the brain power to handle it.

Carmen Busko provided our photograph.