LORIS

n.

Any of three species of nocturnal, arboreal primates in the family Lorisidae.

Lorises have soft gray or brown fur, huge eyes encircled by dark patches, and no tail. They move slowly and often hang by their feet, leaving their hands free to grasp branches or food. The slender loris ( Loris tardigradus ) of India and Sri Lanka is 8–10 in. (20–25 cm) long; it eats insects and small animals. The slow lorises (genus Nycticebus ) of South Asia and the Malay Peninsula eat insects, small animals, fruit, and vegetation. Nycticebus pygmaeus is about 8 in. (20 cm) long; N. coucang is 10.5–15 in. (27–38 cm) long. Habitat degradation and hunting have seriously depleted loris populations.