Bangka Slow Loris Rediscovered: Rescues reveal more than 90 venomous primates; habitat loss still threatens

For decades, one of Indonesia’s rarest primates survived largely beyond the view of scientists. Now, a series of wildlife rescues on the island of Bangka has brought the elusive animal back into focus, offering fresh hope for a species once feared to have disappeared entirely. According to Reuters reporting by Will Dunham, a new study published in the journal Spixiana documents more than 90 Bangka slow lorises identified between 2015 and 2025. The findings, also highlighted by the Alobi Wildlife Rescue Center and conservation group Re:wild, suggest that the little-known primate has survived despite decades without reliable scientific records and continuing pressure on its habitat.A rare primate emerges from decades of uncertaintyThe Bangka slow loris, scientifically known as Nycticebus bancanus, lives on Bangka, an Indonesian island off the southeastern coast of Sumatra. Small, nocturnal and adapted to life in trees, it has reddish-brown fur, distinctive facial markings and large eyes that help it navigate the forest after dark.The species was last documented in historical scientific records from around 1930 to 1932. With little reliable information available for decades, its conti...