The Philippine Tarsier
The Philippine Tarsier is said to be the world’s smallest primate, measuring only about 4 to 5 inches in height. We’ve had the chance to see these tarsiers during our trip to Bohol, Philippines earlier this year and they were really, really tiny. For such a tiny head, though, they had such large eyes, so disproportionately large that are listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest eyes on any mammal.
The tarsiers we saw were kept in semi-captivity, allowed to hunt for food at night, and made to pose for pictures for tourists during the day. Quite sad, really, considering that this animal is considered to be a threatened species. When we saw them, they seemed to be quite meek (or is miserable perhaps the better term?) creatures, but that’s probably just because they are usually nocturnal animals.
If you head to Bohol (a great holiday destination, by the way) and would like to see tarsiers, a better, and more compassionate option would be to go to the tarsier sanctuary in Corella, 14 kilometers from Tagbilaran City. Here, you can see the animals in their natural habitat, and learn more about them from the Tarsier Man, Lito Pizzaras.
Here are some contact info:
The Philippine Tarsier Foundation,
Km. 14 Canapnapan Corella, Bohol 6300 Philippines
Tel: (0912) 5163375
Contact persons:
Office Manager: Danny Nazareno
Photo: Honeylocust Media Systems, via Wikipedia
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POSTED IN: Asian City Tours, Philippines, Travel Tips
10 opinions for The Philippine Tarsier
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May 29, 2008 at 6:49 am
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May 29, 2008 at 7:11 am
[...] Let’s Visit Asia, Ruth says that T is for the Tarsier, the world’s smallest primate at 4-5 inches in height. How [...]
T is for Travel and Culture at b5media
May 29, 2008 at 11:16 am
[...] Let’s Visit Asia, Ruth says that T is for the Tarsier, the world’s smallest primate at 4-5 inches in height. How [...]
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May 29, 2008 at 11:43 am
[...] Let’s Visit Asia, Ruth says that T is for the Tarsier, the world’s smallest primate at 4-5 inches in height. How [...]
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May 29, 2008 at 12:02 pm
[...] Let’s Visit Asia, Ruth says that T is for the Tarsier, the world’s smallest primate at 4-5 inches in height. How [...]
T is for…
May 29, 2008 at 12:02 pm
[...] Let’s Visit Asia, Ruth says that T is for the Tarsier, the world’s smallest primate at 4-5 inches in height. How [...]
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May 29, 2008 at 7:25 pm
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May 30, 2008 at 11:30 am
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“T” Is For The Travel Channel
May 31, 2008 at 9:31 am
[...] Visit Asia, Ruth says that T is for the Tarsier, the world’s smallest primate at 4-5 inches in height. How [...]
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May 31, 2008 at 12:14 pm
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