Philippine Tarsiers

The Philippine Tarsiers (Tarsius syrichta), named after their long tarsal bones, are nocturnal creatures that are found in the provinces of Bohol, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. Believed to be 45 million years old and considered to be as one of the oldest land species in the Philippines, Tarsiers were declared to be specially protected species by President Fidel V. Ramos under the Proclamation 1030.

The tarsier has a round neck that can rotate 180 degrees and its thick and silky furs may vary in colors from gray to dark brown. This creature is listed in the Guinness Book of Records to have the largest eyes in a mammal. And since they are nocturnal by nature, their eyes serve as a perfect night vision. Tarsiers' partly hairless tails are almost twice the length of the body and are usually used as a balance as they hop to hunt for food.

In Bohol, tarsiers can be observed mainly from the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary located in the town of Corella. The area is maintained and operated by the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, whose initative is to save these endangered species, backed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Department of Tourism. There are two other locations which tarsiers can be found, the first location is in a DENR permitted area near the Loboc River and the other one is located at the entrance of Sagbayan Peak. Visitors are allowed to take pictures of the creatures but camera flashes and touching the tarsiers are highly discouraged.

Tarsier at Loboc River

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