Animal of the Week: The Slow Loris
The slow loris packs incongruous punch. A primate found across southeast Asia, it resembles a sloth or a possum: it looks frail; bewildered; and, above all, huggable. Check out the Youtube video, ‘Slow loris loves getting tickled’: not even the warning description below (“Not only are they illegal to own… the loris marks its territory with urine… constantly… for its entire life”) can dampen the onslaught of adorableness. It is true, however, that the loris makes an inappropriate pet, not least because it exudes toxins from glands on the insides of its elbows. Yes: this wide-eyed furball exudes toxins, which it then mixes with saliva, and delivers through a bite or lick (which causes humans painful swelling). And, because I like ‘Animal of the Week’ to contain a moral, this week’s is something to do with misleading appearances/the perils of pigeonholing. But seriously. Watch the video.
Email suggestions for an upcoming Animal of the Week to elle@salient.org.nz.
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