A healthy loris is a happy loris!
 

Take a peek behind-the-scenes to watch Peka the Slow Loris have a check-up.
 
Tipping the scales at just 850 grams, this pint-sized primate certainly isn’t your average patient – and  
as the only Slow Loris in all of Australia, he is one of the most special!
 
While Peka is provided with top-notch care in our Nocturnal House, he had a trickier start to life than most. He arrived at Perth Zoo in 2018 after being confiscated overseas, likely destined for the illegal pet trade.
 
That’s why it’s so important our teams carry out regular routine health checks to provide him with the targeted care he deserves!

Under general anaesthetic, the vet team were able to get up-close to draw blood samples, take whole body X-rays, get a thorough look at his teeth and even trim his nails.
 


Perth Zoo Veterinarian Taylor Hawkins said: “Overall, Peka is looking to be quite healthy for a ten-year-old Slow Loris.
 
“He did need a good dental scale and polish to remove tartar build-up on his canine and incisor teeth, and we’ll continue to monitor his dental health over the coming months.
 
“Peka’s keepers do a wonderful job looking after him, and it’s great to be able to do routine testing to confirm that he’s in good health.”

Following the procedure, Peka recovered in a warm nest box back in the Nocturnal House under the watchful eye of his keepers.
 
The Slow Loris is native across habitats in Southeast Asia. With their large eyes, petite frame and slow movements, it is easy to see why they have become viral sensations on social media in recent years.
 
But heartbreakingly, this internet fame has encouraged illegal trafficking of these adorable animals.
 
Peka is the only Slow Loris in all of Australia. His journey to Perth Zoo is a stark reminder that the illegal pet trade is having heartbreaking ramifications on wildlife, and his story helps to educate visitors on the plight of his species.

FAST FACTS
  • Slow Loris are nocturnal, native to the rainforests of South and Southeast Asia.
  • As they live in trees, they have strong, grasping hands with flexible wrists and ankles for climbing.
  • Remarkably, they are one of the only venomous mammals. On the inside of their arm they have a brachial gland which secretes a noxious oil. When it feels threatened, it will lick the gland which can make their bite venomous.