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Tarsier Viewing

The Philippine Tarsier is a very peculiar small animal which can be found in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol and Mindanao. It is in fact one of the smallest known primates that is no larger than a adult men's hand. They are mostly active at night because they lack a light-reflecting area of the eye. It lives on a diet of insects. 

Tarsier Characteristics:

• Eyes:  Enormous
• Hind limb: Extremely elongated tarsus bones at their feet; twice as long as their head, body and feet.
• Head, Body, Feet: Range from 10 to 15 cm byt the hind limbs are about twice this long.
• Tail: Slender and is from 20 to 25 cm long.
• Fingers: Elongated, with the third finger being about the same length as the upper arm.
• Nails: Most of the digits have nails, but the second and third toes of the hind feet bear claws instead
• Claws: used for grooming.
• Tarsiers are: very soft has a velvety fur which is usually buff, color beige or ochre.
• Has no tooth-comb.

Fast Fact: Their extremely elongated tarsus bones at their feet are where they got their name.

Their brain is different from other primates in terms of the arrangement of the connections between the two eyes and the main region of the thalamus that receives visual information. The sequence of cellular layers receiving information from the ipsilateral (same side of the head) and contralateral (opposite side of the head) eyes in the lateral geniculate nucleus distinguishes tarsiers from lemurs, lorises, and monkeys, which are all similar in this respect. Some neuroscientists suggested that "this apparent difference distinguishes tarsiers from all other primates, reinforcing the view that they arose in an early, independent line of primate evolution"

You can visit the tarsier at the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, and see it in its natural habitat.

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Wind NE 15km/h