Rare Pygmy Slow Loris Twins Born at Moody Gardens on Galveston Island
Posted on July 27, 2011
Two rare pygmy slow loris twins were born June 13 at Moody Gardens. One of the tiny twins is pictured above. The twins were born to parents Luyen and father Icarus. The parents are 11 and 15 years old.
The small arboreal primates are found in tropical forests of Laos, Vietnam, China and Cambodia. The primates were nearly extinct in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. After the Vietnam War, deforestation continued to threaten the creatures. The species is currently listed as "vulnerable" by United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre.
Moody Gardens, an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), teamed up with the AZA to participate in a Species Survival Plan. The birth at Moody Gardens is considered a great success of the program. The twins will grow up in the Rainforest Pyramid at Moody Gardens.