New primates discovered in SL; hiding in jungles for years-by Avi Kumar Source:Daily Mirror For more than a century, scientists considered lorises, a type of reclusive, tree-dwelling primates, to have two distinct species in Sri Lanka —however, new research indicates 5 to six new species. They’ve been hiding in plain sight, coming out at night and are thus not easy to observe.  About the size of a squirrel with long limbs, this shy, furry, nocturnal primate is found in the tropical forests of Sri Lanka and grows to between 6-10 inches. It has a round head, two large eyes – imagine a miniature monkey with owl-like eyes. It is very cute, almost like a cartoon character/ a skinny teddy bear. Apart from being so cute, what makes it so interesting is its cryptic nature. This is why it took so long to discover the new species/ subspecies.   Compared to how the ...

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