Slow lorises rescued from illegal pet trade released into wild
The animals are initially being monitored on a reserve in West Java.
Ten critically endangered slow lorises have been released into the Indonesian rainforest after being rescued from the illegal pet trade.
The four male and six female Javan slow lorises were released into the Mount Sawal Wildlife Reserve (SMGS) in Ciamis, West Java, earlier this month, having mostly been surrendered by local people, according to International Animal Rescue (IAR).
IAR chief executive Alan Knight said: “The keeping of slow lorises as pets is having a devastating impact on wild populations, particularly as their natural habitat is also under threat.
“So it’s always extremely uplifting to see animals returning to the wild where they will be given a second chance to live their lives as nature intended, far from disturbance and interference from human beings.”
The animals have undergone a long rehabilitation process at an IAR centre to prepare them for returning to the wild, including familiarising them with the sort of food they will encounter and getting them used to other lorises.
They will be monitored for up to four weeks, initially in a habituation enclosure within the reserve, after which they will be set free if their behaviour appears to be normal.
IAR have implemented special protocols, including the use of PPE and reducing contact with the animals, during the pandemic, to ensure the primates are not exposed to Covid-19.
The Javan is one of nine species of slow lorises, which are endangered thanks to loss of habitat and the illegal pet trade.
