2010 Vol 101.pdf (1.63mb) - Primate Society of Great Britain

Identifying the CITES Appendix I-listed Asian slow loris Nycticebus
spp: a training programme for enforcement officials and rescue centres
in Southeast Asia
TRICIA PARISH
Awarded a PSGB and Born Free Grant in August 2008
All five recognised species of Asian slow lorises (Primates: Lorisidae:
Nycticebus) were listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 2007 due
to unsustainable harvesting for the illegal pet and medicine trade as well as
due to habitat loss. N. javanicus was added to the 25 Most Endangered
Primates List in 2008 due to the severe risks it faces from the same threats
but which are compounded in its smaller habitat.
No IUCN species survival programme is in place for slow lorises but the
Southeast Asian Mammal Database and CITES call for additional slow loris
education to be conducted as officials are unable to identify the species seen
in illegal trade. This project provided five one-day workshops to
enforcement officials and rescue centres in slow loris range countries and
East Asian trade hubs (peninsular Malaysia, Malaysian Borneo (Sarawak),
Brunei, Taiwan and Japan) between February and November 2009. The
project was based on a set of four pilot workshops that were conducted in
slow loris range states in 2008.
The workshop used a range of training materials (PowerPoint presentations,
identification leaflet, training DVD and picture flashcards) and techniques
(lecture, small and large group discussions) to maximise learning. Topics
included slow loris taxonomy, identification and behaviour, look-alike
species, legislative protection, key threats, common smuggling techniques
and captive slow loris care protocols (both short- and long-term). Workshop
effectiveness was assessed using pre- and post-workshop questionnaires,
review sheets and video exercises. The project aimed to raise awareness
about slow lorises with enforcement officials, improve their knowledge of
Nycticebus spp. and enhance individual slow loris species identification
abilities. Over the longer term it is hoped that equipping enforcement
officials with improved knowledge about slow lorises and how to identify
them will contribute to a reduction of illegal slow loris trade and the
inappropriate release of confiscated slow lorises.
Quantitative analysis of the workshops showed that significant
improvements in knowledge levels were achieved across key areas
including individual slow loris species identification ability (Wilcoxon: n =
180, z = -8.782, p = 0.000), slow loris range countries (Wilcoxon: n = 179, z
= -3.564, p = 0.000), that the slow loris is a primate (Wilcoxon: n = 179, z =
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