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Dumped after black magic, injured slender loris rescued

Last Updated 21 April 2019, 19:24 IST

Staffers of the Press Club of Bangalore in Cubbon Park rescued a sub-adult and badly injured slender loris during their morning walk on Sunday.

Surrounded by stray dogs and crows, the nocturnal animal was found writhing in pain. The staffers contacted the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Rescue Centre in Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP).

Rescuers told DH that the animal had severe injuries on all its paws, a clear indication that it was tied up. “This is only done when the animal is used for black magic. It is severely malnourished and has injury marks on its body,” a rescuer said.

WRRC volunteer M N Simhadri said people, unfortunately, continue to indulge in black magic using animals even in a cosmopolitan city like Bengaluru.

This is the year’s first case of a slender loris being rescued in Cubbon, from where they have virtually disappeared due to habitat changes. The nocturnal animals were once a common feature in the city’s prime lung space where they have not been sighted for the past two years. But the person who threw away the animal at the park was unaware of its disappearance from the green space.

Slender lorises are used for black magic due to their big, bright eyes, though their use in black magic rituals is based on myths. In reality, the animals are harmless and shy. They are now found in pockets of the IISc campus, Sankey tank, Lalbagh, GKVK-Hebbal, Bellandur, Turahalli, Bannerghatta and the Bangalore University campus.

Forest and BBMP officials have urged the citizens to inform them when they find injured animals in the city.

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(Published 21 April 2019, 19:04 IST)

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