Venomous and adorable: The pygmy slow loris, a tiny primate, is melting hearts in Memphis

Meet Memphis Zoo's venomous but adorable new addition: a ping pong ball-sized pygmy slow loris.

The tiny primate, who has not yet been named, was born on Dec. 13 to Samper and Artemis at the Memphis Zoo. The young offspring is being "hand-raised behind the scenes," the zoo announced Monday.

"Zoo veterinarians determined he needed extra assistance to give him the best chance of survival, so he is being hand-reared by dedicated staff who feed him every two hours around the clock," the zoo said.

Videos shared by the zoo show staff members feeding formula to the newborn pygmy slow loris through a small feeder. The zoo reported that the young primate has now graduated to a "slurry of banana, leaf eater biscuit, water, and formula," which he now eats out of a bowl.

A zoo spokesperson told USA TODAY that the little primate will be named once keepers get to know his personality.

Pygmy slow loris are venomous primates

Pygmy slow lorises are classified as an endangered species, according to Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.

The nocturnal, tree-dwelling animal is indigenous to forested areas in Southeast Asia. Its wide eyes and opposable thumbs help the pygmy slow loris move around the forest in the night, searching for tasty insects.

Pygmy slow lorises are also the only known venomous primate with modified sweat glands near their elbows, which allow them to secrete a toxin. When alarmed, these animals lick these glands, transferring the toxins to their teeth, which are then used to attack predators. The venom is so strong that it can "incapacitate predators as large as humans," according to the Smithsonian Institute.

The pygmy slow loris is generally thought to be a solitary animal, though they may occasionally interact with each other during mating season, using vocalizations like clicks and whistles to communicate.

The newborn pygmy slow loris at the Memphis Zoo might join other nocturnal pals in the "Animals of the Night" exhibit once it is weaned, said the zoo.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.

Micaela Watts is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal and can be reached at micaela.watts@commercialappeal.com.

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