India’s first slender loris sanctuary
#GS-03 Environment and Ecology
For Prelims:
About Slender Loris:
- The slender lorises (Loris) are a genus of loris native to India and Sri Lanka.
- The genus comprises two species, the red slender loris found in Sri Lanka and the gray slender loris from Sri Lanka and India.
- They are found in tropical rainforests, scrub forests, semi-deciduous forests, and swamps.
- The Grey slender loris is a nocturnal animal and is also a slow-moving animal and are mostly arboreal (lives on trees).
- It comes down into the bushes to feed and crosses open stretches of ground to enter isolated groves or to cross from one tree to another.
IUCN Status: Endangered
Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972: Schedule I
Why they are beneficial:
- The species acts as a biological predator of pests in agricultural crops and benefits farmers.
Why are they under threat:
- They are poached because of the erroneous belief that they have magical powers.
- They are also threatened by loss of habitat.
About Kaduvur slender loris sanctuary:
- Kaduvur slender loris sanctuary is India’s first ever Slender Loris Sanctuary.
- It will span across 11,806 hectares in Karur and Dindigul districts, covering areas of Kadavur taluk in Karur and, Dindigul East, Vedasandur and Natham taluks in Dindigul.
