Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 July 2023 | 15(7): 23606–23609

 

ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) 

https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.8533.15.7.23606-23609

#8533 | Received 18 May 2023 | Final received 02 July 2023 | Finally accepted 10 July 2023

 

 

Unusual foraging behaviour of the Bengal Slow Loris Nycticebus bengalensis (Lacépède, 1800) (Mammalia: Primates: Lorisidae) in the Shan Highlands, Myanmar

 

Sai Sein Lin Oo 1, Khun Aung Naing Oo 2  & Paul Jeremy James Bates 3

 

1 Sao Hsur Wai Library, 06151, Ke Hsi Township, Shan State, Myanmar.

2 No.14, Saung Pyaung, Pin Laung Township, Shan State, Myanmar.

3 Harrison Institute, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3AQ, United Kingdom.

1 seinlinu@gmail.com, 2 khunano7zool@gmail.com, 3 pjjbates2@hotmail.com (corresponding author)

 

 

Editor: Mewa Singh, University of Mysore, Mysuru, India.         Date of publication: 26 July 2023 (online & print)

 

Citation: Oo, S.S.L., K.A.N. Oo & P.J.J. Bates (2023). Unusual foraging behaviour of the Bengal Slow Loris Nycticebus bengalensis (Lacépède, 1800) (Mammalia: Primates: Lorisidae) in the Shan Highlands, Myanmar. Journal of Threatened Taxa 15(7): 23606–23609. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.8533.15.7.23606-23609

 

Copyright: © Oo et al. 2023. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.  JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and distribution of this article in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publication.

 

Funding: Financial support for field visits was provided by Sai Sai Peanut Oil.

 

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

 

Acknowledgements: We thank Nay Myo Shwe for reviewing the first draft. Our thanks also go to Sai Aung Tun Thein for sharing his photo.

 

The Bengal Slow Loris Nycticebus bengalensis is a nocturnal, arboreal, and slow-moving animal, which is native to southern and southeastern Asia. It has the largest geographical range of the four species of the genus Nycticebus (Rogers & Nekaris 2011; Nijman 2015; Oliver et al. 2019; Nekaris et al. 2020), comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, northeastern India, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Found in evergreen, semi-evergreen and deciduous forest, and degraded areas (Rajamani et al. 2009; Swapna et al. 2009; Das et al. 2014; Francis 2019), it frequents large, tall trees with dense foliage canopy (Pliosungnoen et al. 2010), forest edges, and human-modified landscapes, including heavily disturbed areas, such as home gardens (Das et al. 2014, 2016; Kumar et al. 2014). It can move through thick grass along the ground when tree canopy is lacking (Starr et al. 2010; Rogers & Nekaris 2011).

The diet of Nycticebus bengalensis includes plant exudates (gum), bark, leaves, nectar, fruit, small invertebrates, and birds’ eggs (Swapna et al. 2009; Rogers & Nekaris 2011; Das et al. 2014; Oliver et al. 2019; Nekaris et al. 2020). It lives singly, in pairs, or in family groups (Ankel-Simons 2006; Al-Razi et al. 2020). Currently categorized as Endangered, on account of habitat loss and over hunting (Nekaris et al. 2020), in Myanmar it is theoretically fully protected by the Protection of Biodiversity and Conservation Areas Law, 2018. However, live Bengal Slow Lorises and their parts are extensively traded on the Sino-Myanmar border, especially in Mong La, eastern Shan State, where, according to Nijman et al. (2014), ‘thousands of individuals are killed annually to supply the demand from this one market alone’.

Although considered to be widely distributed in Myanmar (Francis 2019; Nekaris et al. 2020), there is little information about the in-country distribution, ecology, and behaviour of this cryptic primate because of its nocturnal lifestyle and arboreal habits. Yin (1993) includes historical records from Tanintharyi Region (Myeik = Mergui, KadanKyun = King Island), Mon State (Kyaikkhami = Amherst), Kayin State (Thandaung), Rakhine State (no data), Sagaing Region (Kindat) and Kachin State (Bhamo, Hai Bum, Singaling Hkamti). Nijman (2015) includes two individuals from near Saw Law in Kachin State and reports that they are rarely seen in this area. On 21 May 2019, a Slow Loris was observed in degraded forest, at an elevation of 1,100 m in Ywangan Township (21.2219°N, 96.5578°E) in southern Shan State.

Recently, a single Nycticebus bengalensis was seen entering a house and climbing up to a roof beam where it found nest of a Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus. This happened on 30 April 2022, at 2230 h, in a suburban area of Kyaukme, northern Shan State, Myanmar (22.5489°N, 97.0397°E) (Figure 1). The male slow loris captured one sparrow, which it devoured for about 45 min. It sat on a beam, and after first biting the bird’s head, it fed on its prey slowly (Image 1). Although it ate the bones of the bird, it removed most, but not all of the feathers, which fell to the floor (similar observations were made for the Javan Slow Loris Nycticebus javanicus  in Indonesia (Cabana et al. 2017)). Subsequently, the Loris captured another sparrow and fed again. It was observed that at times it stayed upside down, with its hind feet clinging to the beams of the house, whilst eating its prey. It appeared to be either unaware of the presence of humans or not afraid, as the animal was photographed from within 5 m.

After feeding, the animal climbed down slowly and started to leave the house at 2335 h (30 April 2022) (Image 2). It exited on the electric service line at 0050 h (1 May 2022) (Image 3). Unfortunately, it was not possible to follow this nocturnal animal and record its sleeping quarters as there was a night-time curfew (from 2000–0500 h) in the region after the February 2021 coup. As in Bangladesh (Al-Razi et al. 2019), there is a report (Wildlife of Myanmar, 2022) of a Bengal Slow Loris being electrocuted on a power line in Banmaw (Bhamo), Kachin State, Myanmar.

Situated at an elevation of approximately 780 m, the climate of Kyaukme is humid subtropical with an annual rainfall of about 2,100 mm and a mean annual temperature of 28.9°C. The urban area of Kyaukme is approximately 9.5 km2, with a population of some 46,000 individuals (General Administration Department 2019). The house where the slow loris was observed is located within a highly disturbed, anthropogenically modified, mosaic of habitats. There is a bamboo grove and a small wood within 100 m and 200 m, respectively, of the house. In Indonesia, the presence of bamboo in human-modified environments has proved important for Javan Slow Loris conservation as it provides essential sleep sites (Nekaris et al. 2017). It is noteworthy that Kyaukme is situated en route to the Sino-Myanmar border, with its active wildlife markets and a high demand for wild animals.

This recent observation provides surprising new information about the diet of Nycticebus bengalensis and its habituation to highly disturbed urban environments. It suggests that in Myanmar, as elsewhere, urban habitats can serve as a refuge for endangered species (Becker & Buchholz 2016). To understand better its local and national conservation needs, we recommend more detailed studies of the Bengal Slow Loris’s ecology, especially habitat preferences, population status and behaviour.

 

 

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