Habitat Use by the Red Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus tardigradus) in Masmullah Proposed Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka

Abstract

We investigated habitat preferences and, specifically, variable use of habitat by members of a population of Loris tardigradus tardigradus to assess their ecological plasticity, i.e., ability to respond to environmental changes. We assessed habitat structure (tree heights, connectivity, floristic composition, and liana abundance) and radio-tracked 14 adult lorises in Masmullah Proposed Forest Reserve (MPFR) in Sri Lanka. The loris population of MPFR has not adapted to exploiting the agricultural environment surrounding and fragmenting the forest, staying within the remaining narrow, isolated forest tracts. However, the animals do show some accommodation to habitat changes, making use of regenerating plantations and forest edges, possibly because of their higher arthropod abundance.