BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION OF THE SLENDER LORIS (LORIS-TARDIGRADUS) IN CAPTIVITY

Observations were made on the behaviour of a group of slender lorises (Loris tardigradus) maintained in the Adelaide Zoo. Descriptions of their individual behaviour, social interactions, reproductive biology and development of young are given. The slender loris displays a more complex social lifestyle than has previously been reported, with huddling, marking activities and the behavioural complex of stretching/wrestling/allogrooming occurring daily. Evidence of the formation of a female coalition is described for the first time for this species. The low reproductive success of the group may have been attributable to the mixing of two Sri Lanka subspecies. Matings between L. tardigradus grandis and L. tardigradus tardigradus produced one sibling that reached maturity but did not breed.