Pygmy slow loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus); this individual is in a zoo.
Image: FakirNL, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2025 global assessment of Xanthonycticebus pygmaeus says EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The pygmy slow loris is a small, slow-moving nocturnal primate with a toxic bite — rare among mammals. It is assessed as Endangered.
It moves deliberately through the trees and feeds on insects, sap, and fruit.
Range & habitat
Forests of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and southern China.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Capture for the pet and traditional-medicine trade
- Habitat loss
Why it matters
A venomous, slow-moving primate heavily targeted by the wildlife trade, the pygmy slow loris is a flagship against the illegal pet and medicine trade in Southeast Asia.
Recently moved to the genus Xanthonycticebus; the linked reference uses the former Nycticebus name.
Gallery
Pygmy slow loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus).
Image: David Haring / Duke Lemur Center, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Pygmy Slow Loris
- IUCN Red List — look up Pygmy Slow Loris (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web