Red Slender Loris

About the Red Slender Loris

The red slender loris (Loris tardigradus) is a small, nocturnal strephsirrhine primate native to the rainforests of Sri Lanka. This is No. 6 of the 10 focal species and No. 22 of the 100 EDGE mammal species worldwide considered the most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered.

The taxonomy of slender lorises in Sri Lanka has undergone significant revision. Early classifications recognized multiple subspecies. A pivotal review split them into two species: the small, red wet-zone endemic Loris tardigradus and the larger, greyish Loris lydekkerianus found in India and parts of Sri Lanka. Genetic and morphological studies later supported this split.

Recent work refined the classification of the red slender loris, identifying three subspecies based on morphology and geography: L. t. tardigradus, L. t. nycticeboides, and L. t. parvus. Three subspecies of this species are recognized: Northwestern red slender loris (Loris tardigradus ssp. parvus) - CR - Restricted to the northwestern wet and intermediate zones north of the Kelani River in the Western Province. Localities include Henarathgoda, Meerigama Kanda, Pilikuttuwa, and Horagolla.

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