The World’s Only Venomous Primate Was Missing From Science for Nearly 100 Years. Then, More Than 90 Were Found

A rare primate that scientists had not documented in scientific literature for nearly a century has returned to the spotlight. The Bangka slow loris, a big-eyed, nocturnal animal once considered possibly extinct, is still surviving on an Indonesian island, according to newly published research.

The discovery did not begin with a dramatic expedition deep into an unexplored jungle. Instead, it came from years of work by local wildlife rescuers who had been encountering the animals all along.

The Bangka slow loris, scientifically known as Nycticebus bancanus, lives on Bangka Island off the eastern coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The species was first scientifically described in 1906 and later recognized as a distinct species in 2013. However, it had not appeared in scientific literature since the 1930s, leaving researchers with serious questions about whether it had survived.

Between 2015 and 2025, the Alobi Wildlife Rescue Center received reports of these primates from residents across the island. Some were discovered in backyards and gardens, while others were found along roads or on power lines. In total, rescuers documented more than 90 individuals.

According to conservation organization Re, 86 of the rescued animals were eventually released into protected forests. The rescue records became the foundation for a new study published in the scientific journal Spixiana, bringing the species back into the scientific record.

One of the animal’s most unusual characteristics is its venom. Slow lorises are the only known venomous primates. They can combine secretions from glands near their elbows with saliva to produce a toxic bite, a rare adaptation among mammals.

Despite this remarkable feature, the Bangka slow loris remains poorly understood. Researchers still need more information about its population size, genetics, distribution and survival in the wild.

The news also comes with a serious warning. The species is classified as Critically Endangered and has been listed as possibly extinct. Its remaining habitat is threatened by illegal tin mining, forest clearing for oil palm plantations, expanding human settlements and the wildlife trade.

Conservationists say the rediscovery is an important first step, not a guarantee that the animal is safe. Scientists are calling for systematic population surveys, genetic research and stronger protection for the island’s remaining forests.

For years, the Bangka slow loris had almost disappeared from the scientific record. Yet local residents and rescuers continued to encounter it, preserving evidence that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. Its story is a reminder that an animal can be missing from scientific research without having vanished from the world.

Now, researchers face a race to learn more about this elusive primate before habitat loss pushes it closer to extinction.

Source: PEOPLE