The Smallest Primate in the World, Hidden in the Rainforest of the Philippines, Measuring Just a Palm's Size
Everyone should know a lot about primates, but this one is absolutely unknown to most people and has become an endangered species, very difficult to see in normal circumstances. It is the tarsier.
Tarsiers are the Philippine national treasure, printed on the back of the Philippine 200p banknotes. To save the dwindling tarsiers, the Philippine government specifically selected Bohol Island, which is suitable for tarsier survival, and adopted protected area measures to protect this endangered species, similar to China's Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base.
As the tenth largest island in the Philippines, Bohol Island is sparsely populated and beautiful, although it does not have very complete amusement facilities, but it has a quite pure and original natural landscape. Thanks to its good environment and inherent geographical advantages, Bohol Island has become a paradise for tarsiers.
The Tarsier Protection Center is located near Corella Town and is currently open to the public. Visitors follow the designated trails in the dense and dark tropical rainforest, straining their eyes to find the hidden tarsiers. It's like a treasure hunt.
Tarsiers are very cute and quirky in appearance. With their big eyes less than 15cm long, a look of innocence, combined with long hands and tails, they look very charming. Moreover, tarsiers are very light, weighing about 150g, which can be held in one hand.
To visit here, it is recommended to come in the morning because tarsiers are nocturnal animals and sleep in the afternoon, so you cannot see their cute big eyes. The protection center is very thoughtful, and staff will remind visitors when they arrive at places where tarsiers frequently appear. During the day, tarsiers will sleep in shaded and dark places with branches, and if you see a waking tarsier, you will find that their eyes are like light bulbs, pitiful and cute, which is very interesting.
Upon entering the park, you will see many slogans, and the tour guides will remind visitors to keep quiet, not to make loud noises, not to take photos with flashlights, and not to use selfie sticks, let alone touch or try to take them away, because tarsiers are very timid. In fact, if a sleeping tarsier is awakened, it may suffer a heart attack, which is a very fragile animal.
The total number of tarsiers in the protected area is about 200, but only a little less than 10 are open to visitors. Some people say that this is a way for locals to attract tourists, but I don't think so, because the ticket price of the protection center is only 50 pesos, equivalent to 7 RMB. Besides the low birth rate and habitat destruction, the establishment of the protection center can better breed and protect this species, and can also raise people's environmental awareness, which is of great significance.
The number of tarsiers is decreasing, and there are less than 10,000 left. If you want to see this cute creature, you can come to the Bohol Island Tarsier Protection Area in the Philippines, where you can learn more about it.
