Khao Phra Thaew Chief Piyawat Sukhon explained that the call for reporting slow loris touts comes as Phuket enters its tourist high season, when many tourists he says are unaware that slow loris are a protected species.
“I believe that the tourists who have their photos taken with a loris do not know that it is illegal just because lorises look cute.
“I want to inform tourists that it is wrong and it makes it look like they [the tourists] support animal trading. It may inspire those people to hunt more slow lorises,” he said.
Mr Piyawat pointed out that from Oct 1 last year to the end of September this year his officers arrested more than 10 suspects for illegal possession of a slow loris, all used to charge tourists to have their photos taken with the nocturnal animal.
“And Karon Beach is where we found the most, about 80% of those arrested,” he said.
“Some of the people arrested told me that it is easier to find a loris than it was before. One loris used to cost B8,000 to B10,000, but now the price for one loris is so low that they can easily buy a loris for about B3,000,” Mr Piyawat added.
“If you see anyone making money from a loris, please take photos of them and inform me at 089-8737749 – at any time,” he said.
The call to report slow loris touts comes after an injured slow loris was found by a Kusoldharm rescue worker in Patong last Thursday (Oct 17).
The loris had many small wounds on its body and its left paw was missing, with the bones protruding from its stump.
Pongchart Chouehorm, Chief of the Nature and Wildlife Education Centre at Khao Phra Thaew, was informed of the injured loris, which was handed over to a veterinarian to receive treatment for it injuries last Friday morning.
On examining the animal, the veterinarian believed that the loris was injured by an electric shock, Mr Pongchart said.
Over the next three days, the loris regained some strength and its small wounds recovered.
However, the exposed left stump became infected, leading to the veterinarian having to operate to amputate further up the arm to stop spread of infection on Tuesday.
The operation took one hour and 20 minutes, from 8pm to 9:20pm, Mr Pongchart said.
Mr Pongchart, who repeatedly visited the animal at all hours throughout its ordeal, returned to check on the loris’s condition yesterday.
“The small mammal was fatigued, but able to eat and drink by itself. The loris is still being fed vitamins and water, and being taken close care of,” he said.