The gray slender loris (Loris lydekkerianus) is a small, fascinating, nocturnal primate primarily adapted to the dry and intermediate forests of Sri Lanka. Much like its sister species, the red slender loris, it is entirely arboreal and navigates the branches with a deliberate, ghostly crawl under the blanket of night.
An interesting fact about the gray slender loris is its unique toxin production. Research indicates that slender lorises lick specialized brachial glands located on the inside of their upper arms. When mixed with their saliva, this secretion creates a mild toxin. They rub this mixture onto their crowns and onto their infants as a form of chemical defense to repel ectoparasites and deter predators. If highly threatened, their bite can deliver this toxic saliva, causing severe allergic reactions in humans and smaller animals.