Little Rock Zoo announces birth of endangered Pygmy Slow Loris twins

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — The Little Rock Zoo announced Tuesday the birth of twin pygmy slow lorises.

Zoo officials said the twins were born in June to dad, Frazier, and mom, Minh Yih. The babies are the second set of twins to come from the parents.

To celebrate the twins' birth, the zoo is hosting a naming contest. The options to choose from are Nova and Sol, Garnet and Topaz, and Eloise and Elmer. The public will be able to vote for the names until August 13.

The birth of the twins came at the recommendation of the Species Survival Plan Program, the news released stated. Native to southeast Asia, the pygmy slow lorises are listed as an endangered species. They are primarily threatened by loss of habitat due to commercial and residential development. Currently, there are only 44 pygmy slow lorises in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums population.