# Sunda slow loris

> The Sunda slow loris (Nycticebus coucang) is a slow, venomous nocturnal primate of Sumatra, threatened by the pet trade and protected in Indonesia.

Source: https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/sunda-slow-loris/ · Updated 25 September 2026 · English · Bahasa Indonesia: https://panduanhewan.org/id/spesies/kukang-sunda/
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**Review status:** Compiled and checked against the listed sources; not yet reviewed by a specialist.

## Quick answer

The Sunda slow loris (*Nycticebus coucang*) is a mammal in the family Lorisidae. Its IUCN Red List category is Endangered.

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | *Nycticebus coucang* |
| Indonesian name | Kukang sunda |
| Group | Mammals |
| Family | Lorisidae |
| Range in Indonesia | Sumatra, the Riau Islands and the Natuna Islands |
| Linked habitats | [Tropical Rainforests](https://panduanhewan.org/en/habitats/tropical-rainforest/) |
| Diet | Tree gum, nectar and fruit; sometimes insects, snails and eggs |
| Range in Indonesia | Sumatra, Batam, Galang and the Natuna Islands |
| Key feature | Large eyes, white stripe between them, slow movements |
| Risk to people | Venomous bite; can trigger anaphylactic shock |
| Other names | Greater slow loris, kukang sumatera, malu-malu |
| Legal protection in Indonesia | Protected (Ministerial Regulation P.106/2018) |
| IUCN status | Endangered · [IUCN Red List (via GBIF)](https://www.gbif.org/species/2436629) · checked 25 September 2026 |

## What is the Sunda slow loris?

The Sunda slow loris (Nycticebus coucang), often called kukang sumatera in Indonesia, is a small, venomous primate that is active at night and moves slowly. Animal Diversity Web gives a length of 27–38 cm and a weight of about 600–685 g. It has light brown fur with a darker stripe down the back and a white stripe between its large eyes. The tail is a tiny stump hidden in the fur. N. coucang once also included the Javan, Bornean and Bangka slow lorises, now separate species. The Mammal Diversity Database also treats northern Sumatran lorises as Nycticebus hilleri and lists the Sunda slow loris as Endangered.

Evidence: [Animal Diversity Web — Nycticebus coucang (Sunda slow loris)](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Nycticebus_coucang/) · [Mammal Diversity Database (ASM) — Nycticebus coucang, Malaysian (Sunda) Slow Loris](https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1001064/) · [Mammal Diversity Database (ASM) — Nycticebus hilleri, Hiller's Slow Loris](https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1001065/)

## Where does the Sunda slow loris live?

In Indonesia, the Sunda slow loris lives in Sumatra and some nearby islands, including Batam and Galang in the Riau Archipelago and Bunguran in the Natuna Islands. Outside Indonesia it occurs in Peninsular Malaysia, southern Thailand and Singapore. According to Animal Diversity Web, it mainly inhabits primary and secondary lowland rainforest up to 1,300 m, including peat swamp and logged forest. It needs an unbroken canopy to move from tree to tree. In Lampung, the conservation agency has released rehabilitated lorises into Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park and Batutegi forest.

Evidence: [Animal Diversity Web — Nycticebus coucang (Sunda slow loris)](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Nycticebus_coucang/) · [Mammal Diversity Database (ASM) — Nycticebus coucang, Malaysian (Sunda) Slow Loris](https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1001064/) · [Mongabay Indonesia — Mewaspadai Perdagangan Ilegal Kukang di Media Sosial (2020)](https://www.mongabay.co.id/2020/08/30/mewaspadai-perdagangan-ilegal-kukang-di-media-sosial/)

## What does the Sunda slow loris eat?

The Sunda slow loris eats tree gum and sap, nectar and fruit, and occasionally insects, snails and birds' eggs. Animal Diversity Web estimates that about a third of its diet is gum, another third nectar and nectar-producing plants, and roughly a quarter fruit. It uses the toothcomb in its lower jaw to scrape gum from bark. ADW also notes that a loris whose teeth have been removed can no longer be returned to the wild. International Animal Rescue reports that pet lorises are often fed the wrong food and become obese, with infections, diabetes or bone disease.

Evidence: [Animal Diversity Web — Nycticebus coucang (Sunda slow loris)](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Nycticebus_coucang/) · [International Animal Rescue — The Truth Behind the Slow Loris Pet Trade](https://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/truth-behind-slow-loris-pet-trade)

## Is the Sunda slow loris venomous?

Yes, slow lorises are among the few venomous mammals: fluid from a gland on the inner elbow mixes with saliva, and the venom is delivered by a bite. A 2013 review by Nekaris and colleagues describes a threatened loris raising its arms above its head, bringing its mouth to the brachial glands, then biting or smearing the mixture on its head. Bites are rare, but International Animal Rescue says they are extremely painful and can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans. If bitten, seek medical care at a health facility immediately. Never catch, handle or keep a slow loris.

Evidence: [Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases — Nekaris et al. (2013), Mad, bad and dangerous to know: the biochemistry, ecology and evolution of slow loris venom](https://jvat.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1678-9199-19-21) · [International Animal Rescue — The Truth Behind the Slow Loris Pet Trade](https://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/truth-behind-slow-loris-pet-trade) · [Animal Diversity Web — Nycticebus coucang (Sunda slow loris)](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Nycticebus_coucang/)

## Why are slow lorises traded, and what is wrong with ‘tickling’ videos?

Slow lorises are poached for the pet trade because they look cute, and online ‘tickling’ videos have helped to fuel that demand. A 2013 PLOS ONE study by Nekaris and colleagues analysed 12,411 comments on a viral video of a pet pygmy slow loris being tickled in Russia; in the early months, a quarter of commenters said they wanted one. International Animal Rescue explains that a loris raising its arms like this is terrified and in a defensive posture. Before sale, traders often cut out lorises' teeth with pliers or nail clippers, without anaesthetic. IAR Indonesia recorded 353 Facebook groups offering about 4,089 lorises between 2012 and 2019.

Evidence: [PLOS ONE — Nekaris et al. (2013), Tickled to death: analysing public perceptions of ‘cute’ videos of threatened species (slow lorises) on Web 2.0 sites](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0069215) · [International Animal Rescue — The Truth Behind the Slow Loris Pet Trade](https://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/truth-behind-slow-loris-pet-trade) · [Mongabay Indonesia — Mewaspadai Perdagangan Ilegal Kukang di Media Sosial (2020)](https://www.mongabay.co.id/2020/08/30/mewaspadai-perdagangan-ilegal-kukang-di-media-sosial/)

## What should you do if you find a slow loris?

If you find a slow loris near your home, do not touch, catch or keep it; keep your distance and report it to the local conservation agency (BKSDA). Nycticebus coucang is listed as protected under Ministerial Regulation P.106/2018, and all slow lorises have been on CITES Appendix I since 2007. In Lampung, residents and electricity company staff, who often find lorises on substations, hand them to the BKSDA for rehabilitation and release. Never buy a loris: Nekaris and colleagues note that lorises have one young every one to two years and rarely breed in captivity, so traded animals are most likely wild-caught.

Evidence: [JDIH Kemenko Infrastruktur — Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi (PDF)](https://jdih.kemenkoinfra.go.id/cfind/source/files/permen-lhk/permenlhk-nomor-p.106-tahun-2018.pdf) · [Mongabay Indonesia — Mewaspadai Perdagangan Ilegal Kukang di Media Sosial (2020)](https://www.mongabay.co.id/2020/08/30/mewaspadai-perdagangan-ilegal-kukang-di-media-sosial/) · [PLOS ONE — Nekaris et al. (2013), Tickled to death: analysing public perceptions of ‘cute’ videos of threatened species (slow lorises) on Web 2.0 sites](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0069215)

## Common questions about the Sunda slow loris

### What is the scientific name of the Sunda slow loris?

The scientific name of the Sunda slow loris is *Nycticebus coucang*, in the family Lorisidae. In Indonesian it is called Kukang sunda.

### Where can the Sunda slow loris be found in Indonesia?

In Indonesia, this guide records the Sunda slow loris in: Sumatra, the Riau Islands and the Natuna Islands.

Source-supported habitats: [Tropical Rainforests](https://panduanhewan.org/en/habitats/tropical-rainforest/).

### What does the Sunda slow loris eat?

Diet of the Sunda slow loris: tree gum, nectar and fruit; sometimes insects, snails and eggs.

### What is the conservation status of the Sunda slow loris?

On the IUCN Red List, the Sunda slow loris is listed as Endangered: it is considered to face a very high risk of extinction in the wild. Source: [IUCN Red List (via GBIF)](https://www.gbif.org/species/2436629), checked 25 September 2026.

This global category is separate from legal protection in Indonesia. To check whether the Sunda slow loris is a protected species, consult the current national list of [protected species](https://panduanhewan.org/en/glossary/#satwa-dilindungi) or contact the local [BKSDA](https://panduanhewan.org/en/bksda-offices/) (natural resources conservation office).

## Sources & references

1. [Animal Diversity Web — Nycticebus coucang (Sunda slow loris)](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Nycticebus_coucang/)
2. [Mammal Diversity Database (ASM) — Nycticebus coucang, Malaysian (Sunda) Slow Loris](https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1001064/)
3. [Mammal Diversity Database (ASM) — Nycticebus hilleri, Hiller's Slow Loris](https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1001065/)
4. [Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases — Nekaris et al. (2013), Mad, bad and dangerous to know: the biochemistry, ecology and evolution of slow loris venom](https://jvat.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1678-9199-19-21)
5. [PLOS ONE — Nekaris et al. (2013), Tickled to death: analysing public perceptions of ‘cute’ videos of threatened species (slow lorises) on Web 2.0 sites](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0069215)
6. [International Animal Rescue — The Truth Behind the Slow Loris Pet Trade](https://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/truth-behind-slow-loris-pet-trade)
7. [Mongabay Indonesia — Mewaspadai Perdagangan Ilegal Kukang di Media Sosial (2020)](https://www.mongabay.co.id/2020/08/30/mewaspadai-perdagangan-ilegal-kukang-di-media-sosial/)
8. [JDIH Kemenko Infrastruktur — Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi (PDF)](https://jdih.kemenkoinfra.go.id/cfind/source/files/permen-lhk/permenlhk-nomor-p.106-tahun-2018.pdf)

## Further reading

[Slow loris: facts, threats and conservation](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/slow-loris/) — World Animal Rescue Network. A broader overview that covers this animal.

## Keep exploring

- [Javan slow loris](https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/javan-slow-loris/)
- [Agile gibbon](https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/agile-gibbon/)
- [Banteng](https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/banteng/)
- [Bearded pig](https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/bearded-pig/)
- [Tropical Rainforests](https://panduanhewan.org/en/habitats/tropical-rainforest/)
- [Philippine slow loris](https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/philippine-slow-loris/)

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Cite: PanduanHewan. (2026). Sunda slow loris. PanduanHewan.org. https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/sunda-slow-loris/