[animals] Venomous slow loris thought extinct for a century was hiding in plain sight

[HollywoodHogan92]

A small, big eyed primate that scientists feared was lost has been found alive and well. Good News Network reports that the Bangka slow loris, from Bangka Island in Indonesia, was last documented by Western science in the 1930s and was listed as possibly extinct in 2015

In fact, between 2015 and 2025 the local Alobi Wildlife Rescue Center quietly rescued more than 90 of them and released 86 back into the wild. Most had strayed into gardens, plantations or onto roads

Austrian scientists and international colleagues pieced the story together from a 2022 field guide and an unpublished thesis held at the rescue centre. The species is also venomous, mixing a toxin from glands on its upper arms with saliva and delivering it by biting

Benji Barca of the conservation group Re:wild said a species can disappear from the scientific record without disappearing from the lives of the people who share its home. There is no population estimate yet, but the authors say it is probably more widespread than documented

This is a lovely reminder that local people often know far more about wildlife than distant scientists. The rescue centre's quiet work over a decade helped keep this animal going. A venomous primate is also just a fascinating thing to learn about

Did you know some primates are venomous? And what other lost species would you love to see rediscovered?

Venomous Primate Believed Extinct for 100 Years Was Hiding in Plain Sight All Alongwww.goodnewsnetwork.org