An influx of poachers in Thailand is impacting the endangered slow lorises. One video posted to TikTok by a tourist in Thailand, BigManChaZ (@bigmanchaz), depicted the exploitation of the animal, as he was offered to hold a slow loris on a beach.
"She told me it was a lemur, but apparently it is not," he wrote in his caption.
@bigmanchaz Holding a mystery animal on the beach in Thailand #thailand #animal #beachvibes ♬ original sound - BigManChaZ
A slew of comments followed the video identifying the animal.
"It's a slow loris. … I heard somewhere they are endangered and often illegally trafficked so tourists can take pictures with them," explained one commenter.
They also described the heartbreaking process involved in the trafficking of slow lorises: "Also their teeth were probably trimmed to ensure they don't bite tourists as they are venomous. It's a common thing in Thailand, apparently for people to approach tourists with these animals."
Indeed, the slow loris, typically found in Indonesia, is highly endangered and has recently become the subject of rampant animal tourism within Thailand. The Wildlife Friends Foundation of Thailand noted that this is happening in areas like the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Ratchaburi, and Kata Beach in Phuket — all notable tourist destinations.
The WFFT described the animal as shy and nocturnal, with their population decline being exacerbated by the illegal animal trade. The People's Trust for Endangered Species explained that the primate's slow nature, combined with how exposed they are because of deforestation, is a factor that makes them easy to catch for poachers.
It's estimated that poaching kills thousands of animals every year, significantly adding to the loss of biodiversity, which further impacts our own food supply chain.
To help curtail the proliferation of slow loris poaching, WFFT wrote: "Spreading awareness about the plight of slow lorises and the impact of wildlife tourism can help reduce demand and promote responsible tourism practices."
As such, the organization encourages tourists to report any exploitation of the animal to Thailand's Department of National Park, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation.
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Yes 👍 The creator of the video was met with backlash from commenters. He had to inform them that he had no idea the species was poached.
"Can't believe people entertain this," wrote one commenter. "The poor thing is probably drugged as they are not awake in the day. Unbelievable."
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