The third loris has also joined the other two at PFA's enclosure in Thoubal. The three lorises will be released in the forest by the animal lovers' group after consulting wildlife experts and Manipur forest officials. "We will release the three animals at Yangoupokpi Wildlife Sanctuary in Chandel district after obtaining permission from the Manipur forest department," Meitei said.

Yumnam Arun, an Assam Rifles personnel and Thangjam Dipak Singh of Langmeidong village in Thoubal district, were on a trip to Churachandpur district last week when they saw the tribal elder rearing the slow loris at his home.

Identifying himself as a 'godman' and 'medicine man', the man informed them that he caught the loris from a jungle in the district bordering Mizoram to use the animal's body parts to cure human ailments. He said loris fur could stop bleeding when applied on a wound and its tongue could cure a broken human limb, while its limb when put on the abdomen of a pregnant woman helped easy delivery of a child.

Having learnt that the man would kill the endangered animal to carry his illegal practices, the two managed to buy the loris for Rs 4,800 from him after a long struggle, said PFA Thoubal managing trustee Lourembam Biswajeet Meitei, quoting the two.

Since it is against the law to rear endangered animals at home, the two handed over the loris to Kakching police station on Monday. The loris is now safe at the enclosure of PFA Thoubal. It suffered an injury around its neck caused by the rope it was tied with. But it is now under intensive care at PFA Thoubal under the observation of Thoubal Veterinary Hospital, Meitei said.

"We salute the two for their inspiring act. PFA Thoubal warns all, especially the hill people of Manipur, against hunting and poaching of wild animals. We also appeal to forest officials in hill districts to be more cautious," he added.

Last month, PFA Thoubal managed to unite a female and a male loris, rescued by local animal lovers from poachers at a hillock in the same district.

About a month after a displaced male slow loris was rescued from a hill in Thoubal district on February 9 and put under the care of People for Animals (PFA), Thoubal, an animal lover on March 8 saved a female loris, believed to be the partner of the earlier one, from poachers. The male loris was rescued on by some women from Nongpok Sekmai village and handed over to PFA Thoubal.

Slow loris comes under schedule 1, a list of the most endangered animal species' category in India, under the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA).