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Adorable, pero letal: así es el loris perezoso, el único primate venenoso del planeta

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El loris perezoso es el único primate venenoso conocido y enfrenta grave peligro por el tráfico ilegal de animales exóticos (Wikipedia)

El loris perezoso se destaca como el único primate venenoso del mundo, habitante del sudeste asiático y actualmente considerado una especie vulnerable. Según National Geographic, su aspecto adorable y la viralización de videos en internet impulsaron su demanda como mascota exótica, aunque su mordedura puede ser letal para los humanos y el tráfico ilegal de ejemplares pone en riesgo su supervivencia.

Conocido científicamente como Nycticebus coucang, el loris perezoso pertenece a un reducido grupo de mamíferos venenosos, una rareza fuera de insectos, reptiles o peces. Otros ejemplos de mamíferos con veneno son el ornitorrinco, algunas musarañas y el topo europeo.

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Este primate se caracteriza por su pequeño tamaño, pelaje denso y grandes ojos. Su dieta omnívora incluye savia, frutos, néctar y pequeños insectos. A diferencia de otros animales que usan veneno para cazar, el loris lo emplea con fines sociales y defensivos.

La mordedura del loris perezoso
La mordedura del loris perezoso puede causar reacciones graves e incluso letales en humanos, según casos documentados por National Geographic (Wikipedia)

Presenta glándulas braquiales en sus extremidades anteriores, que secretan una toxina potente. Antes de atacar, lame la zona para mezclar la secreción con saliva y así preparar su mordida venenosa. Este proceso requiere tiempo y suele utilizarse en disputas territoriales o cuando el animal se siente amenazado. Un estudio citado por National Geographic en Current Biology indicó que 1 de cada 4 víctimas analizadas presentaba heridas graves por mordeduras entre loris.

El veneno no está destinado a la caza, sino a la autoprotección y a resolver conflictos entre congéneres. Este rasgo ha convertido al loris perezoso en objeto de investigaciones recientes, centradas en la composición de su toxina y los riesgos para la salud humana.

Respecto a su peligrosidad, se documentó casos médicos graves tras la mordedura de un loris. Según National Geographic, una investigación en BMJ Case Reports recogió el caso de un hombre de 30 años en Borneo que necesitó atención hospitalaria urgente tras sufrir asfixia e hipotensión debido a una reacción alérgica grave. En Japón, una mujer de 37 años sufrió daños neurológicos, necrosis y colapso orgánico tras ser mordida por un loris mascota, demostrando que una reacción intensa puede ser letal en minutos.

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El loris perezoso utiliza una
El loris perezoso utiliza una toxina liberada por sus glándulas braquiales para defenderse y resolver conflictos territoriales con otros congéneres (Wikipedia)

La percepción de que el loris perezoso es un animal dócil alimenta su demanda como mascota, pero esta imagen es engañosa. Anna Nekaris, experta en conservación, señaló a The New York Times que su comportamiento agresivo es notable: “Se trata de un comportamiento que puede considerarse raro o extraño por tratarse de uno de nuestros parientes más cercanos”.

Nekaris ejemplificó la contradicción entre su apariencia y temperamento: “Si los conejos asesinos de Monty Python fueran un animal real, serían loris perezosos y se estarían atacando entre ellos”.

El auge del mercado negro está potenciado por la viralidad en redes sociales, lo que impulsa la captura indiscriminada de ejemplares. Muchas personas desean tener uno como mascota, ignorando el peligro para ellas y para la especie. Los traficantes suelen extraerles los dientes para impedir mordeduras y la inyección de toxina, una práctica que provoca gran sufrimiento y reduce su esperanza de vida.

Expertos advierten que conservar al
Expertos advierten que conservar al loris perezoso es clave para la biodiversidad y el equilibrio natural de los ecosistemas asiáticos (Wikipedia)

En cautiverio, los loris perezosos no pueden satisfacer sus necesidades naturales, lo que deteriora su salud y vulnera su condición de especie salvaje.

Actualmente, el loris perezoso está considerado especie vulnerable. La presión del tráfico ilegal, sumada a la pérdida de hábitat, agrava su situación. Además de su mecanismo defensivo, cumple un papel importante en los ecosistemas del sudeste asiático, por ejemplo, transportando polen y controlando poblaciones de insectos.

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Expertos como Nekaris subrayan la urgencia de proteger a este primate, ya que su destino depende de la concienciación pública y de la aplicación estricta de la legislación, advierte National Geographic. Preservar al loris perezoso implica resguardar la diversidad biológica y el patrimonio evolutivo único de los bosques asiáticos, donde su presencia simboliza el delicado equilibrio de la vida silvestre.

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Trump says he plans to order federal ban on Anthropic AI after company refuses Pentagon demands

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President Donald Trump on Friday said he was ordering every federal government agency to stop using Athropic AI immediately.

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«THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL NEVER ALLOW A RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY TO DICTATE HOW OUR GREAT MILITARY FIGHTS AND WINS WARS! That decision belongs to YOUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, and the tremendous leaders I appoint to run our Military,» Trump began in a lengthy Truth Social post Friday afternoon.

He added, «The Leftwing nut jobs at Anthropic have made a DISASTROUS MISTAKE trying to STRONG-ARM the Department of War, and force them to obey their Terms of Service instead of our Constitution. Their selfishness is putting AMERICAN LIVES at risk, our Troops in danger, and our National Security in JEOPARDY.»

The president said he would immediately direct every federal agency to stop using Anthropic technology.

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Secretary of War for Public Affairs Sean Parnell speaks to the media. Earlier this week, Anthropic leadership refused demands from the Department of War to use its artificial intelligence for «all lawful purposes.» (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

«We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!» he continued.

There will be a six-month phase out period for agencies such as the Department of War, he added.

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«Anthropic better get their act together, and be helpful during this phase out period, or I will use the Full Power of the Presidency to make them comply, with major civil and criminal consequences to follow,» he wrote.

He continued, «WE will decide the fate of our Country — NOT some out-of-control, Radical Left AI company run by people who have no idea what the real World is all about.»

Earlier this week, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei refused demands from the Department of War to use its artificial intelligence for «all lawful purposes,» but Amodei said no, concerned over the possibility it could be used for «mass domestic surveillance» or «fully autonomous weapons.»

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TOP AI FIRM ALLEGES CHINESE LABS USED 24K FAKE ACCOUNTS TO SIPHON US TECH

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President Donald Trump on Friday said he was ordering every federal government agency to stop using Anthropic AI immediately. (Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)

«The Department of War has stated they will only contract with AI companies who accede to ‘any lawful use’ and remove safeguards in the cases mentioned above. They have threatened to remove us from their systems if we maintain these safeguards; they have also threatened to designate us a ‘supply chain risk’ — a label reserved for US adversaries, never before applied to an American company — and to invoke the Defense Production Act to force the safeguards’ removal,» Amodei said in a Thursday statement.

He declared that the «threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.»

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Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs Sean Parnell declared in a post on X that the department does not want to engage in either of those activities but is asking to use Anthropic’s AI for all legal purposes.

«The Department of War has no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans (which is illegal) nor do we want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons that operate without human involvement,» Parnell said in the post. «Here’s what we’re asking: Allow the Pentagon to use Anthropic’s model for all lawful purposes.»

«This is a simple, common-sense request that will prevent Anthropic from jeopardizing critical military operations and potentially putting our warfighters at risk. We will not let ANY company dictate the terms regarding how we make operational decisions. They have until 5:01 PM ET on Friday to decide. Otherwise, we will terminate our partnership with Anthropic and deem them a supply chain risk for DOW,» he noted.

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PENTAGON TAPS MUSK’S XAI TO BOOST SENSITIVE GOVERNMENT WORKFLOWS, SUPPORT MILITARY OPERATIONS

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei

Anthropic Co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei declared this week that the «threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.» (Chance Yeh/Getty Images for HubSpot)

Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael accused Anthropic and Amodei of lying.

In a post on X, Michael called Amodei «a liar» who «has a God-complex.» 

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«He wants nothing more than to try to personally control the US Military and is ok putting our nation’s safety at risk. The @DeptofWar will ALWAYS adhere to the law but not bend to whims of any one for-profit tech company,» he asserted.

In another post he asserted, «Anthropic is lying. The @DeptofWar doesn’t do mass surveillance as that is already illegal. What we are talking about is allowing our warfighters to use AI without having to call @DarioAmodei for permission to shoot down an enemy drone swarms that would kill Americans.»

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«It is the Department’s prerogative to select contractors most aligned with their vision. But given the substantial value that Anthropic’s technology provides to our armed forces, we hope they reconsider,» Amodei said in a statement sent on Thursday to Fox News Digital. «Our strong preference is to continue to serve the Department and our warfighters — with our two requested safeguards in place. Should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.»

«We remain ready to continue our work to support the national security of the United States,» he added.

Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.

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Tech company refuses Pentagon demands on unrestricted use of its AI

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UN Human Rights Council chief cuts off speaker criticizing US-sanctioned official

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The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) abruptly cut off a video statement after the speaker began criticizing several United Nations officials, including one who has been sanctioned by the Trump administration. The video message was being played during a U.N. session in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday morning.

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Anne Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the and president of Human Rights, called out several U.N. officials in her message, including U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who is the subject of U.S. sanctions.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against Albanese July 9, 2025, saying that she «has spewed unabashed antisemitism, expressed support for terrorism and open contempt for the United States, Israel and the West.»

«That bias has been apparent across the span of her career, including recommending that the ICC, without a legitimate basis, issue arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant,» Rubio added.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Francesca Albanese  (Getty Images)

«I was the only American U.N.-accredited NGO with a speaking slot, and I wasn’t allowed even to conclude my 90 seconds of allotted time. Free speech is non-existent at the U.N. so-called ‘Human Rights Council,’» Bayefsky told Fox News Digital.

Bayefsky noted the irony of the council cutting off her video in a proceeding that was said to be an «interactive dialogue,» an event during which experts are allowed to speak to the council about human rights issues.

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«I was cut off after naming Francesca Albanese, Navi Pillay and Chris Sidoti for covering up Palestinian use of rape as a weapon of war and trafficking in blatant antisemitism. I named the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, who is facing disturbing sexual assault allegations but still unaccountable almost two years later. Those are the people and the facts that the United Nations wants to protect and hide,» Bayefsky told Fox News Digital.

«It is an outrage that I am silenced and singled out for criticism on the basis of naming names.»

Bayefsky’s statement was cut off as she accused Albanese and Navi Pillay, the former chair of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory; and Chris Sidoti, a commissioner of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. She also slammed Khan, who has faced rape allegations. Khan has denied the sexual misconduct allegations against him.

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Had her video message been played in full, Bayefsky would have gone on to criticize Türk’s recent report for not demanding accountability for the atrocities committed by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023.

When the video was cut short, Human Rights Council President Ambassador Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro characterized Bayefsky’s remarks as «derogatory, insulting and inflammatory» and said that they were «not acceptable.»

«The language used by the speaker cannot be allowed as it has exceeded the limits of tolerance and respect within the framework of the council which we all in this room hold to,» Suryodipuro said.

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The Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 26, 2025. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)

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In response to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, Human Rights Council Media Officer Pascal Sim said the council has had long-established rules on what it considers to be acceptable language.

«Rulings regarding the form and language of interventions in the Human Rights Council are established practices that have been in place throughout the existence of the council and used by all council presidents when it comes to ensuring respect, tolerance and dignity inherent to the discussion of human rights issues,» Sim told Fox News Digital.

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When asked if the video had been reviewed ahead of time, Sim said it was assessed for length and audio quality to allow for interpretation, but that the speakers are ultimately «responsible for the content of their statement.»

«The video statement by the NGO ‘Touro Law Center, The Institute on Human Rights and The Holocaust’ was interrupted when it was deemed that the language exceeded the limits of tolerance and respect within the framework of the council and could not be tolerated,» Sim said.

«As the presiding officer explained at the time, all speakers are to remain within the appropriate framework and terminology used in the council’s work, which is well known by speakers who routinely participate in council proceedings. Following that ruling, none of the member states of the council have objected to it.»

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Flag alley at the United Nations’ European headquarters during the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, Sept. 11, 2023. (Denis Balibouse/File Photo/Reuters)

UNRWA OFFICIALS LOBBY CONGRESSIONAL STAFFERS AGAINST TRUMP TERRORIST DESIGNATION THREAT

While Bayefsky’s statement was cut off, other statements accusing Israel of genocide and ethnic cleansing were allowed to be played and read in full.

This is not the first time that Bayefsky was interrupted. Exactly one year ago, on Feb. 27, 2025, her video was cut off when she mentioned the fate of Ariel and Kfir Bibas. Jürg Lauber, president of the U.N. Human Rights Council at the time, stopped the video and declared that Bayefsky had used inappropriate language.

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Bayefsky began the speech by saying, «The world now knows Palestinian savages murdered 9-month-old baby Kfir,» and she ws almost immediately cut off by Lauber.

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«Sorry, I have to interrupt,» Lauber abruptly said as the video of Bayefsky was paused. Lauber briefly objected to the «language» used in the video, but then allowed it to continue. After a few more seconds, the video was shut off entirely. 

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Lauber reiterated that «the language that’s used by the speaker cannot be tolerated,» adding that it «exceeds clearly the limits of tolerance and respect.»

Last year, when the previous incident occurred, Bayefsky said she believed the whole thing was «stage-managed,» as the council had advanced access to her video and a transcript and knew what she would say.

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En medio de la tensión con Irán, EE.UU. pidió la evacuación del personal no esencial de su embajada en Israel

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Estados Unidos recomendó este viernes al personal no esencial de su embajada en Jerusalén que abandone Israel, en un contexto de creciente tensión regional marcado por amenazas de un posible ataque estadounidense contra Irán y el temor a una escalada militar de amplio alcance.

La advertencia se produjo mientras Washington mantiene conversaciones diplomáticas de alto riesgo con Teherán, consideradas por varios analistas como un último intento para evitar un conflicto abierto.

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Leé también: Irán y Estados Unidos lograron “progresos” en una nueva ronda de diálogos en Ginebra para evitar una guerra

La medida fue anunciada un día después de una tercera ronda de negociaciones indirectas entre Irán y Estados Unidos, bajo mediación de Omán. Ambas partes informaron “progresos”, aunque persisten profundas diferencias sobre el programa nuclear iraní y el régimen de sanciones.

Washington insiste en impedir que Teherán desarrolle armas nucleares, una acusación que la república islámica ha negado reiteradamente.

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El ministro de Asuntos Exteriores de Omán, Badr Albusaidi, se reunió con el enviado especial de Estados Unidos, Steve Witkoff, y el yerno del presidente estadounidense Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, en Ginebra, Suiza, el 26 de febrero de 2026. (Foto: REUTERS)

Por otra parte, el clima de alerta se extendió más allá de la diplomacia estadounidense. China pidió a sus ciudadanos evacuar Irán “lo antes posible” y el Reino Unido retiró a su personal diplomático del país y anunció además la reubicación parcial de su embajada en Tel Aviv.

Alemania desaconsejó “con carácter de extrema urgencia” cualquier viaje a Israel.

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En este contexto, el secretario de Estado estadounidense, Marco Rubio, tiene previsto viajar el lunes a Israel para discutir con las autoridades locales las “prioridades regionales”, con Irán como eje central. El 19 de febrero, el presidente Donald Trump había dado un ultimátum de “10 a 15 días” para definir si un acuerdo era viable o si recurriría a la fuerza.

Washington ya desplegó el mayor contingente militar en décadas en la región, incluidos dos portaviones. Entre ellos se encuentra el USS Gerald Ford, el mayor del mundo, que zarpó desde Creta y se dirige hacia la costa israelí. El antecedente inmediato es la breve guerra de junio, iniciada tras una ofensiva israelí contra Irán y respondida por Teherán con ataques sobre territorio israelí.

Leé también: En medio de la tensión con Irán, EE.UU. sumó 12 cazas F-22 a su imponente despliegue militar en Medio Oriente

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Con estos antecedentes, la embajada estadounidense en Jerusalén instó a sus empleados no esenciales a abandonar el país “mientras haya vuelos comerciales disponibles”. El diario The New York Times informó que el embajador estadounidense, Mike Huckabee, envió un correo interno exhortando a quienes desearan partir a hacerlo “hoy mismo”.

La preocupación internacional también llegó a Naciones Unidas. El alto comisionado de la ONU para los Derechos Humanos, Volker Türk, se declaró “sumamente alarmado” por el riesgo de una escalada militar regional y sus consecuencias para la población civil.

El presidente estadounidense Donald Trump expresó públicamente este viernes su frustración con la postura iraní en las negociaciones, aunque aclaró que aún no tomó una decisión definitiva sobre el uso de la fuerza.

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“No nos entusiasma la forma en que están negociando”, dijo, insistiendo en que Irán “no puede tener armas nucleares”. Consultado sobre el riesgo de una guerra total en Medio Oriente, Trump admitió que “cuando hay guerra, todo tiene un riesgo”.

El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, habló con la prensa en la Casa Blanca este viernes. (Foto: Tom Brenner/REUTERS)

El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, habló con la prensa en la Casa Blanca este viernes. (Foto: Tom Brenner/REUTERS)

Desde Teherán, el canciller Abbas Araqchi reclamó a Washington abandonar “exigencias excesivas” y advirtió sobre errores de cálculo. Estados Unidos fijó como “línea roja” la prohibición total del enriquecimiento de uranio, algo que Irán considera un derecho soberano con fines civiles. El Organismo Internacional de Energía Atómica (OIEA) pidió a Irán cooperación “urgente” para verificar sus instalaciones, según un informe confidencial citado por AFP.

A las fricciones nucleares se suma el tema de los misiles balísticos iraníes, que Washington e Israel consideran una amenaza estratégica. Teherán se niega a incluirlos en un eventual acuerdo, pese a que Trump afirmó recientemente que Irán desarrolla misiles capaces de amenazar a Europa e incluso a Estados Unidos.

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Teherán insiste en que no busca armas nucleares y asegura haber limitado el alcance de sus misiles a 2.000 kilómetros. Una nueva ronda de negociaciones podría celebrarse en los próximos días, posiblemente en Ginebra, en un escenario donde la diplomacia avanza contrarreloj y la amenaza militar sigue latente.

(Con información de AFP)

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