MUMBAI, April 11: Forest officials in North Goa have released a Gray Slender Loris, found by villagers in Sattari taluka, into the wild.
The elusive nocturnal primate primarily feeds on insects and fruits, inhabiting diverse forest, an official said.
A young girl from Nagave village first spotted the animal on Sunday. It was perched on a wooden enclosure behind her residence. She alerted her mother, who then informed the officials, animal rescuer Amrut Singh told PTI.
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By the time the rescue team reached the village, locals had adorned the animal’s head with turmeric and flowers. It was later released into the wild following a directive by forest officials.
The animal is on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and has been included in the Schedule I species under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
“We released it back into its natural habitat. Increased deforestation to grow horticultural crops and construction activities has posed a threat to the animal’s habitat,” the official said.
Slender loris is a primate that is native to India and Sri Lanka. They spend most of their life in trees, traveling along the tops of branches with slow and precise movements. (PTI)
