Wildlife | 22 October 2026
The story in brief
A rare animal called the Bangka slow loris still lives on Bangka, an island in Indonesia.
Scientists had not recorded the animal in scientific studies since the 1930s. They feared it might have disappeared.
Who is involved?
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A wildlife rescue centre in Indonesia: An organisation that finds and cares for animals needing help.
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Scientists: Researchers who studied records of the Bangka slow loris.
What is a slow loris?
The Bangka slow loris is a small animal that lives in trees.
It has large eyes, reddish-brown fur and markings on its face.
It moves slowly and is most active at night.
Its bite can deliver venom, a kind of poison that can cause a serious allergic reaction in people.
What happened?
A wildlife rescue centre in Indonesia recorded more than 90 Bangka slow lorises between 2015 and 2025.
Some were found near houses and roads. Others had been injured.
After receiving care, 86 were released back into the wild.
What is the background?
The Bangka slow loris is listed as critically endangered.
This means it faces an extremely high risk of disappearing from the wild.
Its forest home has become smaller.
People have dug for tin, a kind of metal.
Land has also been cleared for large farms that grow palm trees for oil.
Why does it matter?
The records confirm that the animals have survived in several parts of Bangka.
One scientist said the discovery gives hope that other animals missing from scientific records might still be alive.
What happens next?
Scientists want to find out how many Bangka slow lorises remain and where they live.
They say protecting the island's remaining forests is urgently needed.
Source: Reuters, 20 October 2026