Habitat Use by the Red Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus tardigradus) in Masmullah Proposed Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka

Bernede, Lilia; Bearder, Simon K.; Gunawardene, Asoka

doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-4511-1_9

Cited by 44 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Although slender lorises produced this whistle varyingly in dry versus wet environments, they still whistled multiple times per hour regardless of moonlight [24], [39]. Pygmy lorises kept in outdoor enclosures also whistle regularly [46].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hiding from the Moonlight: Luminosity and Temperature Affect Activity of Asian Nocturnal Primates in a Highly Seasonal Forest

2012

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The effect of moonlight and temperature on activity of slow lorises was previously little known and this knowledge might be useful for understanding many aspects of their behavioural ecology, and developing strategies to monitor and protect populations. In this study we aimed to determine if the activity of the pygmy loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) is affected by ambient temperature and/or moonlight in a mixed deciduous forest. We radio-collared five females and five males in the Seima Protection Forest, Cambodia, in February to May, 2008 and January to March, 2009 and recorded their behaviour at 5 minutes intervals, totalling 2736 observations. We classified each observation as either inactive (sleeping or alert) or active behaviour (travel, feeding, grooming, or others). Moon luminosity (bright/dark) and ambient temperature were recorded for each observation. The response variable, activity, was binary (active or inactive), and a logit link function was used. Ambient temperature alone did not significantly affect mean activity. Although mean activity was significantly affected by moonlight, the interaction between moonlight and temperature was also significant: on bright nights, studied animals were increasingly more active with higher temperature; and on dark nights they were consistently active regardless of temperature. The most plausible explanation is that on bright cold nights the combined risk of being seen and attacked by predators and heat loss outweigh the benefit of active behaviours.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It whistled more frequently during dark nights than bright nights. In contrary, the rain-forest dwelling L. tardigradus whistled more frequently on bright nights than dark nights [39]. On dark nights it slept, travelled less and groomed more, reducing active behaviours [39].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Hiding from the Moonlight: Luminosity and Temperature Affect Activity of Asian Nocturnal Primates in a Highly Seasonal Forest

2012

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“…Data from the wild, however, do not follow a consistent pattern. Wild red slender loris Loris tardigradus (Linnaeus, 1758) tended to lower activity in bright nights, although this was not significantly different from dark night behaviour; they rested, groomed more and whistled more frequently during bright nights, but not significantly suggesting a certain reaction towards moon light (Bernede, 2009). Although in general grey slender lorises L. lydekkerianus Cabrera, 1908 were lunarneutral, they were in some aspects lunarphilic (Bearder et al, 2001(Bearder et al, , 2006, whistling more in bright nights, and foraging more for energy-rich insects (Bearder et al, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Impact of climate and moonlight on a venomous mammal, the Javan slow loris (Nycticebus javanicus Geoffroy, 1812)

Rode-Margono

Nekaris

2014

CTOZ

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Predation pressure, food availability, and activity may be affected by level of moonlight and climatic conditions. While many nocturnal mammals reduce activity at high lunar illumination to avoid predators (lunarphobia), most visually-oriented nocturnal primates and birds increase activity in bright nights (lunarphilia) to improve foraging efficiency. Similarly, weather conditions may influence activity level and foraging ability. We examined the response of Javan slow lorises (Nycticebus javanicus Geoffroy, 1812) to moonlight and temperature. We radio-tracked 12 animals in West Java, Indonesia, over 1.5 years, resulting in over 600 hours direct observations. We collected behavioural and environmental data including lunar illumination, number of human observers, and climatic factors, and 185 camera trap nights on potential predators. Nycticebus javanicus reduced active behaviours in bright nights. Although this might be interpreted as a predator avoidance strategy, animals remained active when more observers were present. We did not find the same effect of lunar illumination on two potential predators. We detected an interactive effect of minimum temperature and moonlight, e.g. in bright nights slow lorises only reduce activity when it is cold. Slow lorises also were more active in higher humidity and when it was cloudy, whereas potential predators were equally active across conditions. As slow lorises are well-adapted to avoid/defend predators by crypsis, mimicry and the possession of venom, we argue that lunarphobia may be due to prey availability. In bright nights that are cold, the combined effects of high luminosity and low temperature favour reduced activity and even torpor. We conclude that Javan slow lorises are lunarphobic -just as the majority of mammals.

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“…Dispersing individuals are excluded. Data included are from Nycticebus pygmaeus, 44 L. l. malabaricus, 45 N. coucang, 46 N. javanicus, 47 L. tardigradus,48 and L. lydekkerianus 49.…”

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confidence: 99%

Extreme primates: Ecology and evolution of Asian lorises

Nekaris¹

2014

Evolutionary Anthropology

115

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Asia's slow and slender lorises (Nycticebus and Loris) are among nature's most extreme primates. Until recently, it was not understood why lorises have such huge forward-facing eyes, strange steady climbing locomotion, tiny dependent babies, and a bite that potentially can kill a human! Indeed, early studies described them as slow, solitary, and boring. Twenty years of field research now indicate that lorises are among the most intriguing mammal species.

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Habitat Use by the Red Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus tardigradus) in Masmullah Proposed Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka

Cited by 44 publications

References 5 publications

Hiding from the Moonlight: Luminosity and Temperature Affect Activity of Asian Nocturnal Primates in a Highly Seasonal Forest

Hiding from the Moonlight: Luminosity and Temperature Affect Activity of Asian Nocturnal Primates in a Highly Seasonal Forest

Impact of climate and moonlight on a venomous mammal, the Javan slow loris (Nycticebus javanicus Geoffroy, 1812)

Extreme primates: Ecology and evolution of Asian lorises

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