The Loris is one of the smallest monkeys in the world and is mainly found in Southeast Asia. Therefore, it can usually only be seen locally. Due to its scarcity, it is an endangered species and is now protected by the country.
The Loris is highly susceptible to changes in its habitat. If the habitat is destroyed, their numbers will decrease. Through examination, calculation, and inference from other indicators, it is estimated that there are only about 800 to 1200 Lorises left in the forests of the island of Sulawesi.
Chinese name: 眼镜猴
English name: Philippinetarsier
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Theria
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Family: Tarsiidae
Distribution: Southern Sumatra and some islands of the Philippines
The Loris is a nocturnal animal that generally builds its habitat in trees and lives with other family members. The Loris is about the size of a human fist and has a long tail, resembling a mouse or squirrel at first glance. Additionally, the Loris is the only primate in the world that does not eat plants, instead feeding on insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, flies, and mosquitoes.
Since Darwin, knowledge about the origin and evolution of humans has always been characterized by a rigorous and mechanistic tone. This order system, like a building of blocks, has been gradually perfected by paleoanthropologists such as Raymond Dart and Richard Leakey. We have been told that humans originated in Africa and share a common ancestor with the lemurs on the island of Madagascar. However, lemurs can only be considered as primitive primates, with different habits and physique from humans. However, curious biologists are finally no longer satisfied with this explanation. They feel that if they cannot find some kind of evolutionary connection between primitive and advanced primates, the entire study of human origin will inevitably stagnate.
The first to challenge the traditional theory was Dr. Chris Beard, a paleoanthropologist at the Carnegie Museum. In 1990, he discovered several relatively complete cranial fossils dating back approximately 50.5 million years in the Wind River Basin of central Wyoming, USA. These fossils were proven to belong to the ancient Omomyidae, a close relative of the famous Talainga Americana. They have the characteristics of both modern tarsiers and advanced primates, especially in the vascular and nerve-dense part of the ear bone, which is almost indistinguishable from modern tarsiers. Prior to this, Jacob Waterman, a researcher at the American Museum of Natural Sciences, had discovered a fragmented skull fossil of the ancient Omomyidae in the vicinity of the Big Horn Basin near the Wind River Basin in 1880, but unfortunately it did not attract much attention in the academic community.
1. Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is a severe acute inflammation of the stomach and intestinal mucosa and its deep tissues.
Symptoms: In the early stage, infected monkeys may experience indigestion and reduced appetite. The stool is watery to pasty, and in severe cases, it may become purulent and bloody, appearing yellowish-red with pus, blood streaks, and mucus. At this time, infected monkeys become lethargic, stop eating, their body temperature drops, and they die from exhaustion. Their heads droop, their appetite is lost, their body temperature drops, and they die from exhaustion.
Treatment: Refer to the treatment of bacterial dysentery.
2. Bacterial Dysentery
Bacterial dysentery develops rapidly and spreads rapidly. It is a disease that frequently occurs in macaques in monkey farms, especially in newly introduced monkeys. If they are excessively hungry and thirsty during the journey and then eat and drink excessively upon arrival, it can cause indigestion and diarrhea. If left untreated, it can quickly develop into dysentery. The main symptoms include lethargy, reduced appetite, and complete loss of appetite. Dehydration is severe, with sunken eye sockets, emaciation, decreased body temperature, cold hands and feet, drooping head, and curled-up body. If these symptoms persist for 1-2 days, the monkey will die.
Treatment: The treatment methods for enteritis and dysentery are generally the same, but different medications should be used based on the changes in the disease in clinical practice. When an infected monkey is found, it should be immediately isolated and treated, and the monkey enclosure should be thoroughly disinfected. The entire monkey population should be medicated. Generally, broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs such as tetracycline should be administered orally, with an average of 2 tablets (0.5 grams) per monkey, once a day for 2-3 days. Comprehensive treatment should be taken for infected monkeys, including oral sulfonamides (SG) twice a day, 0.5 grams each time, with the initial dose of 1 gram; intramuscular injections of streptomycin and berberine or Sanjinlian injection, one dose for adult monkeys and adjusted for young monkeys. If there is no improvement after 2 consecutive days, oral furazolidone should be administered 1-2 times a day, 200 milligrams each time. Alternatively, furazolidone can be dissolved in 20 milliliters of warm water and slowly introduced into the stomach through a catheter inserted into the nostril. Chloramphenicol and bai bing ling should be administered intramuscularly, 500,000 units for adult monkeys and adjusted for young monkeys, once a day for 3-4 consecutive days. In the meantime, meticulous care should be provided, and more fruits or easily digestible foods should be provided. Glucose can be added to drinking water as needed. With this treatment method, the cure rate is very high, reaching over 95%.
3. Pneumonia
Due to weather changes, weak adult or young monkeys are prone to catching cold. If not treated in time, it can quickly develop into pneumonia and lead to death. Therefore, when an infected monkey is found, it should be immediately given cold medicine, and severe cases should be treated with injections. Commonly used drugs include chaihu injection and bingduqing injection, with the same dosage as humans for intramuscular injection. For newly arrived monkeys or sudden weather changes, it is best to use herbal remedies such as sesame, gourd tea, daqing, gu yang teng, muboluoye, and tree leaves boiled in water and give them freely to the monkeys to prevent colds. This can not only save medical expenses but also achieve good preventive effects.
Pneumonia is one of the most common acute infectious diseases in macaques in monkey farms, and there are many types of pathogens, mainly caused by pneumococcal infection through the respiratory tract. If an infected monkey is found in a timely manner and isolated for treatment, it is relatively easy to cure.
Symptoms: Similar to human pneumonia, the disease develops rapidly, mainly manifested as cough, elevated body temperature, and severe cases show prone lying with abdominal breathing, reduced appetite or complete loss of appetite, obvious moist rales auscultated, irregular heartbeat, and dullness on percussion.
Treatment: Oral tetracycline or erythromycin, 2 tablets twice a day for adult monkeys; intramuscular injections of penicillin (40,000 units twice a day) and streptomycin (500,000 units twice a day), with a reduction of 100,000 to 200,000 units for young monkeys. For severe coughing, antitussive drugs (compound licorice syrup) should be used with some sugar water, administered orally or freely consumed. The cure rate with the above treatment methods can reach over 95%.
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