Little Fireface Project (LFP)

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The Little Fireface Project (LFP), headed by Professor Anna Nekaris, studies the ecology of the slow and slender lorises, and contributes wherever possible to the conservation and ecology of loris species throughout their range. The project’s scope of research is widespread encompassing behavioural ecology, museum studies, genetics, acoustics, taxonomy, conservation education and chemical ecology.

The LFP team also conducts evaluated outreach and education programmes for local communities to get them to join the conservation movement.

Our mission is to obtain vital data about all loris species to contribute to their conservation in the wild and in captivity, including aiding rescue centres in reintroductions and aiding in the welfare of slow loris pets in countries where it is still legal to keep them. We intensively use, monitor and evaluate social media to inform the public world-wide about the plight of slow lorises to mitigate their trade.

LFP began under the remit of the Nocturnal Primate Research Group at Oxford Brookes University, UK in 1994, and became an independent project in 2011. Our work covers all lorises, including the African pottos and angwantibos, and Asia’s slender and slow lorises. We have since named seven new species, and have studied six species of loris for a year or more in the wild, contributing novel data on diet, habitat use, social organisation and population status.

Our current main field project is on the Indonesian island of Java, where we have initiated the first-ever long-term study of a lorisiform primate in the wild – the Javan slow loris. At the same time, during country-wide surveys in forests and wildlife markets we also make observations of other obscure nocturnal animals, including colugos, pangolins, civets, small cats, mustelids and owls.

Projects:
• Ecological projects about Land use change; Climate change; Insect diversity; etc
• Education
Nature Club (Klub Alam): Our goals are to: Inspire a sense of joy and wonder in local children regarding nature and wildlife; Help children to learn more about their local ecology; Provide hands-on learning experiences within their own environment ultimately leading to positive behaviour change
Slow Loris Forest Protector:. This project aims to combine creativity with science and conservation education.
• Empowerment
Wildlife Trade: The LFP team is documenting the trade of protected species by conducting market surveys in different locations on the island of Java. The information collected is used to help law enforcement and empowerment.
LFP Agroforestry Project: The LFP Agroforestry Project focuses on reforestation of habitat using a mixture of trees that have value to local farmers and ecological value to loris populations.
Slow Loris Bridges: The LFP team is manufacturing and installing slow lorises bridges. These consist of simple ladder-like structures that act as connecting sytems between tree patches within a slow loris’ range.

Anna Nekaris is the Director of the Little Fireface Project (LFP) and Ariana is a Research Assistant at LFP.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.