As 2025 drew to a close, the Bronx Zoo in New York welcomed one of the most adorable animals you could imagine into the world: a pygmy slow loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus).  In the picture shared by the zoo, the tiny endangered primate baby stares out with its giant dark eyes so intensely you’d th ink it was born with its eyes open. Indeed, that’s exactly how slow lorises come out—as well as completely covered in fur. Mothers hold infants on their stomachs, occasionally placing them on a branch as they forage—and, who are we kidding, likely take a break.  The baby pygmy slow loris was born in December 2025. Image: Bronx Zoo / WCS. The image seems to have captured exactly that moment, with the young pygmy slow loris clinging to its branch the same way a preteen anxiously clings to a grocery cart in line for the cash register while mom sprints back to aisle three for a forgotten item.  Not to worry, though. Time will make the furry primate more self-reliant and energetic and it will wean completely at about six-months-old. As adults, slow lorises weigh around one pound. As for whether it’s male or female, we don’t know yet—that will be revealed during its first check up with the vet. It also hasn’t been named yet.  Pygmy slow loris’ fully wean by about six-month-old. Image: Bronx Zoo / WCS. “As it acclimates to its environment, the newborn will remain with its mother to promote healthy growth and maternal bonding,” Keith Lovett, Director of Animal Programs at the Bronx Zoo, tells Popular Science. He adds that slow lorises are “the only known venomous primate” and “produce a toxic secretion from their brachial gland that becomes venomous when mixed with their saliva.”   The pygmy slow loris is native to Southeast Asia and its lifespan is between one and two decades. It is listed as Endangered, according to a 2021 assessment by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Its population suffers from human-caused habitat loss and hunting for food, the pet trade, and “medicinal” reasons. The baby was presumably born within the context of the Pygmy Slow Loris Species Survival Plan. The breeding program among zoos (in which the Bronx Zoo is involved) preserves genetic diversity within the pygmy slow loris populations.  The pygmy slow loris is the only venomous primate species. Image: Bronx Zoo / WCS. In addition to being venomous, it is also a nocturnal primate. At the Bronx Zoo, visitors have the opportunity to see nocturnal animals in action without having to spend the night. The pygmy slow loris baby is the first primate birthed at their World of Darkness exhibit, a space that simulates nighttime darkness during the day and daytime brightness at night.  “Bronx Zoo animal care staff will continue to closely monitor and attend to the growing baby in the zoo’s new World of Darkness exhibit, with its first veterinary exam to take place in the next few months,” Lovett concludes.  The post This wide-eyed baby primate is cute, cuddly—and venomous appeared first on Popular Science. ...read more read less