Locals in Thanh Hoa hand over a pygmy slow loris — a CITES-listed species capable of delivering venomous bites — underscoring rising wildlife trafficking risks in Southeast Asia.
Residents in north-central Vietnam made a surprising and potentially dangerous discovery this week after hearing unusual noises in a forested hillside. What they initially thought was a harmless creature turned out to be a pygmy slow loris — one of the world’s most endangered primates and among the few mammals capable of producing venom. The incident highlights both Vietnam’s biodiversity richness and the growing tension between conservation efforts and illegal wildlife trade in Southeast Asia.
Authorities in Thanh Hoa Province confirmed that on November 20, local forest rangers and police received the rare animal from a family harvesting acacia trees. Recognizing the creature’s protected status, the family immediately alerted officials. The pygmy slow loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) falls under Vietnam’s highest protection category and is listed in the Red Data Book as a critically endangered species at risk of extinction. It has since been transferred to Bến En National Park for rehabilitation before being reintroduced to the wild.
Vietnam is home to two loris species — the Bengal slow loris and the pygmy slow loris — both protected under CITES Appendix I, which bans international trade. Under Vietnamese law, hunting, keeping, transporting, or selling either species can lead to criminal charges and prison sentences of up to 15 years. Despite these penalties, the animals remain targets for the illegal pet trade and traditional medicine markets across the region.
Slow lorises may appear gentle and sluggish, but they possess a unique self-defense mechanism: a toxic secretion produced in glands inside their forearms. When stressed, they lick the gland, mixing the secretion with saliva to create a venom capable of causing intense pain, swelling, vomiting, and in rare cases, anaphylactic shock in humans. Their nocturnal habits, large reflective eyes, and distinctive reddish-brown fur make them visually striking — a trait that unfortunately fuels the exotic pet demand.
The Thanh Hoa discovery serves as a reminder that Vietnam’s forests still shelter fragile species whose survival depends on public awareness and strict enforcement. As biodiversity loss accelerates globally, conservationists warn that even small encounters like this one reveal a broader question: How can fast-growing economies in Southeast Asia protect wildlife while facing rising pressure from habitat loss and wildlife trafficking?
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Source: Vietnam Insider