New Venomous Primate Species Discovered In Borneo
Kayan Loris Ch'ien C. LeeResearchers discover an adorable (yet scary!) species of slow loris. In the jungles of Borneo, an international team of researchers have discovered a new species of slow loris, and classified two previously known subspecies as distinct species in their own rights. That up there is the Kayan loris, the new species. The slow loris may have gained popular fame through YouTube videos in which terrified lorises grasp umbrellas, but it's actually a fascinating animal even when it's not fearing for its life. (Yep, that's what's going on in those videos: when threatened, lorises become docile and passive, which is different from being friendly. Oh, and the pet trade in lorises is brutal and horrifying, just FYI.) It's one of very few venomous mammals and even fewer venomous primates; it has a poison gland on its elbow which it licks to mix with its saliva, giving it a...