Trivia question for Feb-11-2011

Here is an interesting little primate which Carter fell in love with when he learned about them. Let’s see how good your primate knowledge is:

This grey-colored, giant-eyed creature may appear amazingly cute at first glance but you should beware.  In fact it is the world’s only primate capable of delivering toxin into your body.  Yes, it’s a cuddly gremlin with an unpredictable, aggressive temperament which may bite you with its sharp and fang-like canine teeth.

The Indonesian name for these cute guys is malu malu, which can be translated as “shy one”.  These guys can produce a toxin which they mix with their saliva to use as protection against enemies.  The toxin is similar to the allergen in cat dander.   Their bites cause a painful swelling, but the toxin is mild and not fatal.  Cases of human death have been due to anaphylactic shock.

So here’s our questions:  First off, tell us what this creature is and then ask your kids to tell us the difference between the terms ‘venomous’ and ‘poisonous.  Once they understand the difference, ask them to tell us if the primate is Poisonous or venomous.

Good Luck 😉

Answer:

Another fine job by Nonie.  She was the first with the correct answer.  The bug-eyed little critter we featured yesterday was the Slow Loris.  We also asked if these guys were poisonous or venomous and the answer is venomous because the toxin enters the body via a bite.

Slow lorises are threatened by deforestation, the exotic pet trade, and traditional medicine. All species are listed either as “Vulnerable” or “Endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The slow loris has become a popular but illegal pet, mostly in Japan, but also in the United States. Its popularity has swelled due to popular YouTube videos showing them being tickled.

Here is more on these little guys: Slow Loris

Thanks for playing along 😉