ESR Endangered Species Research Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsSpecials ESR 25:185-195 (2014) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00607 Theme Section: Conservation and ecology of slow lorises Survival of reintroduced pygmy slow loris Nycticebus pygmaeus in South Vietnam M. Kenyon1,2,*, U. Streicher2, H. Loung1,3, T. Tran3, M. Tran4, B. Vo1,3, A. Cronin2,5 1Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam 2Endangered Asian Species Trust, Stag Gates House, 63-64 The Avenue, Southampton SO17 1XS, UK 3Cat Tien National Park, Tan Phu, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam 4Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam 5Monkey World-Ape Rescue Centre, Longthorns, Wareham, Dorset BH20 6HH, UK *Corresponding author: marina@monkeyworld.org ABSTRACT: From 2009 to 2012 thirteen wild-born pygmy slow lorises Nycticebus pygmaeus (in this paper referred to as pygmy lorises), confiscated from illegal trade, were radio-collared and released into secondary forest in South Vietnam. Pygmy lorises were monitored until death, recapture, or loss of collar; the longest monitoring period was 73 d. The mean (±SD) distances between consecutive sleeping sites were recorded for 324 consecutive days and averaged 122 ± 108.0 m. Mean distances between sleeping sites for males and females were similar at 110.7 ± 92.6 m for males and 128.8 ± 116.7 m for females, with the greatest distance covered by a female (793 m). Mean height of the sleeping sites was 8.54 ± 4.46 m (n = 60), in trees with a mean diameter at breast height of 75.2 ± 58.4 cm (n = 225). Mean height of the trees where lorises slept was 20.2 ± 9.0 m (n = 230). The pygmy lorises slept mostly in the >8 m band, the area of highest tree connectivity. Of the pygmy lorises studied 38% (5/13) were found dead, 7% (1/13) were returned to captivity due to severe loss of condition and for 23% (3/13) the outcome is unknown due to early collar loss. Causes of death included hyperthermia and natural predation. The remaining 30% (4/13), 2 males and 2 females, were in good condition when last tracked before premature collar drop-off, up to 73 d after release. From this limited data set, a ‘soft’ release, wet season release and consideration of predator density at the release site are recommendations for increasing chances of survival. KEY WORDS: Pygmy loris · Rehabilitation · Radio-collared release · Vietnam Full text in pdf format PreviousCite this article as: Kenyon M, Streicher U, Loung H, Tran T, Tran M, Vo B, Cronin A (2014) Survival of reintroduced pygmy slow loris Nycticebus pygmaeus in South Vietnam. Endang Species Res 25:185-195. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00607 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in ESR Vol. 25, No. 2. Online publication date: October 08, 2014 Print ISSN: 1863-5407; Online ISSN: 1613-4796 Copyright © 2014 Inter-Research.