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The Only Venomous Primate on the planet

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January 25, 2021 at 6:30:00 PM

The Only Venomous Primate on the planet

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Slow lorises (Nycticebus sp.), commonly found in the wild, South, and Southeast Asia, often become the subject of YouTube sensation for their cute eyes. But, getting fooled by their cuteness could prove fatal as they are the only venomous primates on earth. Their mouth contains tiny, razor-sharp teeth to tear their prey wide open and keep predators away. The cute monsters raise its arm above their head if threatened and lick their armpit glands to make a dose of cocktail— spit and venom. The toxin is potent enough to rot and transform a small cut into a hole of dead flesh. Only secretions alone exhibit less toxicity than their concoction with saliva. Usually, slow lorises use their venom to defend against other slow lorises, but when bitten humans, symptoms include difficulty in breathing, bloody urine, extreme pain, and even anaphylactic shock. The cases of Slow loris bite among humans are rare. The mammal may carry razor-sharp teeth and omnivores, yet 71% of its diet consists of mostly fruits and gums.

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