New Delhi: Tamil Nadu on Saturday opened India’s first Slender Loris Conservation Centre at Kadavur in Dindigul district, marking a major step toward protecting one of the country’s most elusive and threatened primate species.
State Forests and Khadi Minister R. S. Rajakannappan virtually inaugurated the facility at Ayyalur in Kadavur, Tamil Nadu Forest Department said in a post on X.
The centre has been established to support the conservation of the Slender Loris, a nocturnal primate known for its large eyes and shy behaviour.
The species lives mainly in dry forests and scrub habitats in southern India.
The conservation centre is located within the Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary, which spreads across Dindigul and Karur districts. The sanctuary covers nearly 11,806 hectares of dry forest, providing a natural habitat for the species.
Built at Rs 16.04 crore, the new facility will serve as a dedicated hub for conservation activities, Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change & Forests, Tamil Nadu government, wrote on a post on X.
She said it will help strengthen habitat protection, population monitoring, and long-term conservation planning for the species.
The centre will also include eco-trails, night observation facilities, an interpretation centre, and learning spaces. These facilities will allow researchers, students, and visitors to understand the behaviour of the slender loris and the importance of protecting its fragile ecosystem.
Sahu added the project builds on an important decision taken by the Tamil Nadu government in 2022, when it notified India’s first Slender Loris Conservation Reserve at Kadavur. The reserve was created to protect the species across nearly 11,800 hectares in the Karur and Dindigul regions.
With the launch of the conservation centre, authorities hope to strengthen awareness, research, and conservation action for the rare primate and its dry forest habitat.
Officials described the initiative as a significant milestone in India’s efforts to protect the slender loris, a species that remains difficult to spot in the wild but plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance.
