 Slow lorises are a group of several species of nocturnally active primates found in southeast Asia. Slow lorises have round heads, narrow snouts, large eyes, and can be found in a variety of coloured patterns. Slow lorises range in weight from the tiny Bornean slow loris at 265 grams to the 2.1 kilogram Bengal slow loris.  The eyes of slow lorises face forwards, giving them stereo vision. Their eyes are large and possess a reflective layer, called the tapetum lucidum, that improves low-light vision, although slow lorises have monochromatic vision.
Their arms and legs are about equal in length, and their long, flexible torso lets them twist around as they move between branches. The hands and feet of slow lorises have several adaptations that give them a strong grip, with a thumb that diverges at nearly 180° from the rest of the fingers and a perpendicular big toe. These adaptations let them grasp branches for long periods of time. Slow lorises have a toxic bite, a trait rare among mammals and unique among the primates. The slow loris obtains the toxin by licking a sweat gland on its arm, and the secretion is activated when mixed with saliva. This toxic bite, once thought to be primarily a deterrent to predators, has been discovered to be mostly used in disputes with other lorises.  Slow lorises move slowly, making little or no noise, and when threatened, they stop moving and remain motionless. Their only predators, apart from humans, include snakes, hawks and orangutans, although cats and sun bears may also prey on them. Not much is known about their social structure, but they are known to communicate by scent marking using urine. Vocal exchanges and alarm calls are limited. They spend most of the night foraging alone. Individuals sleep during the day, usually alone. Adult males are highly territorial and are aggressive towards other males.  All slow lorises are threatened by the wildlife trade and habitat loss. Their habitat is rapidly disappearing, making it nearly impossible for slow lorises to move between forest fragments. Demand from the exotic pet trade and from traditional medicine has been the greatest cause of their decline, despite it being illegal in most countries to own them as pets.Slow lorises have a very low metabolic rate, comparable to that of sloths. Since they consume a relatively high-calorie diet year-round, it has been suggested that this slow metabolism is due primarily to the need to eliminate toxic compounds from their food. Slow lorises are omnivores, eating insects and other arthropods, small birds and reptiles, eggs, fruits, gums, and miscellaneous vegetation. Hibernation is observed in a number of animal species, and is common in mammals. In primates, however, hibernation is almost unheard of. Until recently, the only primates known to hibernate were Madagascar lemurs. But scientists have found another primate that does, the pygmy slow loris, native to Vietnam.  
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