A new species of slow loris has been found in the jungles of Borneo.

The new species, named Nycticebus kayan after the Kayan river near where it was found, is not the only new arrival to the Nycticebus genus. Previously there was thought to be one species of slow loris living in the forests of Borneo and the Phillipines, but closer study of these primates' facial markings revealed this species was actually an amalgamation of 3: N. bancanus, N. borneus and N. menagensis (the name of the original species). N. kayan is completely new to science.

Slow lorises have a unique ability among primates - they have a toxic bite. Glands on their elbows secrete a toxin which they lick to make their saliva toxic. This bite can cause anaphylactic shock in people. Unfortunately this hasn't stopped humans taking them as pets thanks to their adorable appearance. In this case, the teeth are removed to prevent them biting their owners.

The realization that N. menagensis was actually made of 3 species, coupled with discovery of N. kayan, means that slow lorises are more endangered than previously thought. Habitat destruction and the pet trade are great threats to loris survival. Body parts are highly prized in Asian traditional medicine, including their tears (gathered through an extremely painful process).

Slow loris pet videos have become very popular, but they are not as cute as they seem. "YouTube videos of lorises being tickled, holding umbrellas or eating with forks have become wildly popular," said Anna Nekaris (Oxford Brookes University, UK, and study co-author). "CNN recently promoted loris videos as 'feel good' entertainment. In truth, the lorises gripping forks or umbrellas were simply desperate to hold something. The arboreal animals are adapted to spending their lives in trees constantly clutching branches. Pet keepers rarely provide enough climbing structures for them.