Bohol no longer has a monopoly on the tarsier after a farmer in a village in Sultan Kudarat found the world’s smallest primate in his farm.
Rolan Palma of Barangay Lutayan said he was cutting the bushes near his home on Sunday when he noticed a different kind of animal clinging for life to a tree branch.
“I was about to cut the tree when I saw the small creature. It leaped and landed on the ground where it was chased by a cat,” Palma added.
He said he immediately came to the tarsier’s rescue and brought it home in preparation for turning it over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) knowing that it is an endangered species.
Sultan Kudarat is one of the provinces in Soccsksargen region in Mindanao that is composed of South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos.
In the Philippines, the tarsier, whose scientific name is Carlito syrichta, used to be found only in Bohol.
Known as the world’s smallest monkey, it is one of the tourist attractions of the province.
Although the tarsier was once more widespread, all its species living today are found on the islands of Southeast Asia including the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The Philippine tarsier is known as mawmag among the Visayans and endemic to the Philippines particularly Bohol.
An adult tarsier weighs 80 to 160 grams and has a height of 8.5 to 16 centimeters.
In captivity, it has a life span of two to 12 years.
Its rounded pads provide the tarsier with an effective grip on any surface.