Why The Slender Loris Needs A Sanctuary

A lanky, nocturnal and slow-moving animal by nature, slender loris is generally found in the dry areas of Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, where it stays amid acacia trees and feeds on insects, lizards, small birds and berries. This small animal has been in the news ever since Tamil Nadu government announced the very first sanctuary for this primate in the state, spread across 11,806 hectares in Karur and Dindigul districts.

In December 2021, responding to a PIL, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had directed the forest authorities to conduct a census of slender loris in Tamil Nadu. Slender loris is considered endangered according to IUCN and is listed on the Red List of Threatened Species under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Mostly reclusive, this primate has been the target of consistent conservation efforts by the state forest department, and the Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary is to the same end.

What Threatens The Slender Loris

The primary concern is loss of habitat. Slender Loris prefers to stay in shrubbery adjacent to agricultural lands that abound in acacia trees, most of which are vanishing as land is taken up for cultivation. Moreover, the primate is hunted for pet trade and for parts to be used for medicinal purposes and black magic rituals. With growing industrialisation and wider network of roads that cut through forest lands, many of these creatures also fall prey to road accidents. 

Wider Implications

Scientists from the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) in Coimbatore had carried out a survey of slender loris populations in Tamil Nadu&rsquos Dindigul forest division and their results could be used for conservation purposed. Wildlife activists had proposed creation of a sanctuary for the protection of this primate, which is primarily insectivorous and helps in protecting crops but there are voices that call for more measured movements. &ldquoDeclaring any area as a sanctuary is only the first step in a series of steps that actually show results on ground. It is a long process often smaller sanctuaries do not enjoy the same benefits in terms of protection and funding as bigger sanctuaries. But we do believe this is a step in the right direction. It&rsquoll create awareness among people and gets local communities interested in conservation,&rdquo Arvind Adhi, President of Tamil Nadu based Kenneth Anderson Nature Society&nbspsays, adding, &ldquo Not just slender loris, other species also stand to gain from conservation efforts in the sanctuary.&rdquo

V Sundararaju, President, the Society for Conservation of Nature, Trichy, Tamil Nadu and consultant with the Society for Social Forest Research & Development, Tamil Nadu, in a piece for Down To Earth, had written, &ldquoBut, in reality, if a sanctuary is formed, it may create a lot of practical problems. Once a sanctuary is formed, the question of declaring the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) will arise and all the 18 hamlets located on the Kadavur hills will be badly affected as they are located within the ESZ limit.&rdquo He recommends implementation of the suggestions by district forest officer (DFO) of Karur district, who had submitted a proposal for implementing a species recovery programme to protect and improve the population of the endangered slender loris.