In the middle of a rainy Borneo night, a tiny slow loris was found clinging to a thin wet branch, its large round eyes glowing in the warm light of a rescuer’s lantern.

Rescuers had been moving quietly through the wet forest when the light caught the small animal. Its damp fur shone in the rain, and every drop that fell from the leaves above made the branch even more slippery.

Instead of reaching out and grabbing the frightened animal, the rescuer crouched low and lifted a soft cream pouch beneath it. The loris stared down at the fabric, tested it with one tiny hand, and then, slowly, moved one hand at a time until its whole weight rested in the pouch.

With the animal safe and its limbs clear, the rescuer gently lowered the pouch away from the branch. The loris curled its fingers into the fabric and settled, calm at last after a long night in the rain.

The loris was then carried in the pouch to a dry shelter, where it will be checked and cared for before it is returned to a safe place in the wild.

The rescue is a reminder that patience can save a life. Sometimes, the bravest thing a rescuer can do is simply wait, hold a soft place steady, and let a frightened animal choose safety.