Rihanna may have just landed two men in time in the slammer thanks to an Instagram picture of an endangered slow loris.

Riri shared a snapshot of her cuddling the cute creature while partying in Phuket, Thailand, leading local authorities to track down the owners of the south-east Asian animal - listed as a protected species - and arresting them.

Rihanna's picture, which showed the big-eyed loris perching on her shoulder, was accompanied by the caption: 'Look who was talkin dirty to me! #Thailand #nightlife (sic)'

The men, aged 16 and 20, could now face fines of up to £800 and a four-year prison sentence for possession of the mammal.

According to the Metro, Phuket district police chief, Weera Kerdsirimongkon, said: 'Phuket authorities were alerted to the picture and last night police arrested the two individuals who brought out the loris as a photo opportunity for tourists. It's like a cat-and-mouse game. But this time it's bigger because a celebrity like Rihanna posted the picture and there were more than 200,000 'likes' from around the world.'

Rihanna has been getting closely acquainted with the local wildlife in Phuket while she takes time out from her Diamonds World Tour, as the 25-year-old singer also posted another picture of her posing next to a group of elephants.