Bangka slow loris rediscovered after decades of presumed extinction

The Bangka slow loris (Nycticebus bancanus), a nocturnal primate native to Indonesia's Bangka Island, has been confirmed to still exist despite scientific records not documenting the species since the late 1930s. While the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified the species as critically endangered in 2020 with the possibility of extinction, local sightings and rescue efforts have provided new evidence of their survival.

The Alobi Wildlife Rescue Center has played a crucial role in the species' preservation. Between 2015 and 2025, the center rescued over 90 individuals, successfully rehabilitating and releasing 86 of them into carefully selected forest sites across four different regions of the island. These efforts have helped move the species back into scientific literature, as detailed in a study published in the journal Spixiana.

The Bangka slow loris is notable for being one of the only primates capable of producing venom. They mix a secretion from a gland on their upper arms with their saliva to create a toxic bite that can cause intense pain and swelling in predators or humans.