This cutie with the large soul-searching eyes is not to be messed with. The slow loris has a defence mechanism that is unique among primates - a venomous bite. We named it one of the most venomous animals in the world
The poison initially oozes from glands located on the insides of the loris' forelimbs, near the elbows, and is then transferred to its mouth by licking, where it is watered down' with saliva. When threatened, a loris pushes its hands over its head in what looks like a brace position, exposing these glands to the attacker.
So it's when it wraps its arms around its head and hides its face in front of you tit's time to leave.
The venom smells like pungent sweaty socks. But if this olfactory assault doesn't work, the hardware comes into play and the loris delivers a nasty bite using a collection of specialised incisors and canines known as a grooming comb' that are located at the front of its jaw.
How deadly is the slow loris to a human?
The teeth point up and outwards and are so closely packed together that the venom can rise up and along them by capillary action and enter the inflicted wound. These teeth are also effective at removing bark, allowing the animal to access its staple foods: sap and gum.
The effect of the poison depends on the victim's sensitivity. At best, the affected area will go numb; at worst, anaphylactic shock will set in, which has been known to kill.
A concoction of 212 chemicals has been isolated from the brachial glands of the related pygmy loris.
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