A slender loris is silhouetted against the light from a giant moon at Longleat in Wiltshire.
The tiny nocturnal primate, with its huge eyes, is part of a new summer feature at the Wiltshire wildlife attraction called Under the Moon which showcases the many animals that come to life after dark.
Longleat is looking after a male and female of the diminutive members of the primate family, which use their large brown eyes to hunt small insects at night.
Their indoor enclosure is set against the backdrop of a stunning six-metre suspended replica of the moon by UK artist, Luke Jerram.
Titled the Museum of the Moon, it was created using detailed NASA imagery with each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture representing 6km of the moon’s surface.
“This is the first time we have looked after lorises here at Longleat and they really are extraordinary little mammals.
“Although they are primates, they have no real tail and, despite spending virtually their entire lives in trees, they are unable to jump,” said keeper Ben Whitefield-Lott.
“They actually move extremely slowly and carefully and will tend to freeze if threatened by would-be predators,” he added.
Only reaching lengths of around 25cms and weighing just 275 grams, has long been associated with myth and magic in its native India.
Today the loris is becoming increasingly endangered in the wild due to a loss of habitat and poaching. The display not only displays the fascinating adaptations this species has to survive, but gives guest the opportunity to learn more about them in the wild.
In addition to the lorises, Under the Moon, which runs until 12th September, also features moon jellyfish, bioluminescent algae, blind cave fish and glowing emperor scorpions.
For more information please contact Steve Mytton on 07715 798 960 or email steve.mytton@longleat.co.uk.
