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.
For figure
& images - - click here for full PDF
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