Habitat quality and availability of the Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris <i>Loris tardigradus tardigradus</i> (Mammalia: Primates: Lorisidae) in the Kottawa Arboretum

The Red Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus) is one of the three primate species endemic to Sri Lanka. Currently there are two recognized subspecies of the Red Slender Loris, the Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris (L. t. tardigradus) and the Sri Lanka Montane Slender Loris (L. t. nycticeboides). Of these, L....

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: S. Gamage, W. Liyanage, D. Weerakoon, A. Gunwardena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society 2009-02-01
Series:Journal of Threatened Taxa
Online Access:http://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/314
id doaj-a0f4a2bb07254278bd018028154ea1ad
record_format Article
spelling doaj-a0f4a2bb07254278bd018028154ea1ad2020-11-25T02:50:09ZengWildlife Information Liaison Development SocietyJournal of Threatened Taxa0974-78930974-79072009-02-0112657110.11609/JoTT.o1988.65-71300Habitat quality and availability of the Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris <i>Loris tardigradus tardigradus</i> (Mammalia: Primates: Lorisidae) in the Kottawa ArboretumS. GamageW. LiyanageD. WeerakoonA. GunwardenaThe Red Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus) is one of the three primate species endemic to Sri Lanka. Currently there are two recognized subspecies of the Red Slender Loris, the Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris (L. t. tardigradus) and the Sri Lanka Montane Slender Loris (L. t. nycticeboides). Of these, L. t. tardigradus inhabits rainforests in the southwestern region of the island while L. t. nycticeboides is restricted to the montane zone. Kottawa Arboretum harbors one of the few remaining L. t. tardigradus populations in the country. This study was conducted to determine the population density, habitat selection criteria and to asses the habitat availability of L. t. tardigradus in the Kottawa Arboretum. Using the line transect method, 34 sightings were made over a period of 21 months. Based on these observations the density of L. t. tardigradus in the Kottawa Arboretum and habitat selection criteria was ascertained. The calculated density of L. t. tardigradus in the Kottawa Arboretum is 41 animals/ km2. The average height of trees preferred by L. t. tardigradus is 13.97 m plus or minus 6.02. Most of the time lorises were observed at a height range of 3.5-15 m above the ground level. Average height from the ground level where L. t. tardigradus were observed to occupy the tree was 8.64 m plus or minus 5.00. Of the 50 tree species recorded in the Kottawa Arboretum, L. t. tardigradus was found to utilize only 16 species.http://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/314
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author S. Gamage
W. Liyanage
D. Weerakoon
A. Gunwardena
spellingShingle S. Gamage
W. Liyanage
D. Weerakoon
A. Gunwardena
Habitat quality and availability of the Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris <i>Loris tardigradus tardigradus</i> (Mammalia: Primates: Lorisidae) in the Kottawa Arboretum
Journal of Threatened Taxa
author_facet S. Gamage
W. Liyanage
D. Weerakoon
A. Gunwardena
author_sort S. Gamage
title Habitat quality and availability of the Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris <i>Loris tardigradus tardigradus</i> (Mammalia: Primates: Lorisidae) in the Kottawa Arboretum
title_short Habitat quality and availability of the Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris <i>Loris tardigradus tardigradus</i> (Mammalia: Primates: Lorisidae) in the Kottawa Arboretum
title_full Habitat quality and availability of the Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris <i>Loris tardigradus tardigradus</i> (Mammalia: Primates: Lorisidae) in the Kottawa Arboretum
title_fullStr Habitat quality and availability of the Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris <i>Loris tardigradus tardigradus</i> (Mammalia: Primates: Lorisidae) in the Kottawa Arboretum
title_full_unstemmed Habitat quality and availability of the Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris <i>Loris tardigradus tardigradus</i> (Mammalia: Primates: Lorisidae) in the Kottawa Arboretum
title_sort habitat quality and availability of the sri lanka red slender loris <i>loris tardigradus tardigradus</i> (mammalia: primates: lorisidae) in the kottawa arboretum
publisher Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society
series Journal of Threatened Taxa
issn 0974-7893
0974-7907
publishDate 2009-02-01
description The Red Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus) is one of the three primate species endemic to Sri Lanka. Currently there are two recognized subspecies of the Red Slender Loris, the Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris (L. t. tardigradus) and the Sri Lanka Montane Slender Loris (L. t. nycticeboides). Of these, L. t. tardigradus inhabits rainforests in the southwestern region of the island while L. t. nycticeboides is restricted to the montane zone. Kottawa Arboretum harbors one of the few remaining L. t. tardigradus populations in the country. This study was conducted to determine the population density, habitat selection criteria and to asses the habitat availability of L. t. tardigradus in the Kottawa Arboretum. Using the line transect method, 34 sightings were made over a period of 21 months. Based on these observations the density of L. t. tardigradus in the Kottawa Arboretum and habitat selection criteria was ascertained. The calculated density of L. t. tardigradus in the Kottawa Arboretum is 41 animals/ km2. The average height of trees preferred by L. t. tardigradus is 13.97 m plus or minus 6.02. Most of the time lorises were observed at a height range of 3.5-15 m above the ground level. Average height from the ground level where L. t. tardigradus were observed to occupy the tree was 8.64 m plus or minus 5.00. Of the 50 tree species recorded in the Kottawa Arboretum, L. t. tardigradus was found to utilize only 16 species.
url http://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/314
work_keys_str_mv AT sgamage habitatqualityandavailabilityofthesrilankaredslenderlorisiloristardigradustardigradusimammaliaprimateslorisidaeinthekottawaarboretum
AT wliyanage habitatqualityandavailabilityofthesrilankaredslenderlorisiloristardigradustardigradusimammaliaprimateslorisidaeinthekottawaarboretum
AT dweerakoon habitatqualityandavailabilityofthesrilankaredslenderlorisiloristardigradustardigradusimammaliaprimateslorisidaeinthekottawaarboretum
AT agunwardena habitatqualityandavailabilityofthesrilankaredslenderlorisiloristardigradustardigradusimammaliaprimateslorisidaeinthekottawaarboretum
_version_ 1724739766705979392