CARRASCAL, Surigao del Sur -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-CENRO)-Cantilan headed by Gay P. Resullar through the Protected Area, Biodiversity, and Ecotourism Unit (PABEU) spotted one (1) Philippine Tarsier recently.

The tarsier also known as Tarsius syrichta was detected during the conduct of the 3rd Quarter, CY 2022 Tarsier Population Survey in Sitio Kabadiangan, Barangay Babuyan, Carrascal, Surigao del Sur.

The primate was found clinging to shrubs around 6:37 pm during the night opportunistic survey on August 11, 2022, in the aforesaid barangay where Tarsiers are reportedly sighted by locals per Key Informant Interview (KII).

It is also noteworthy that Barangay Babuyan is within the proclaimed Carac-an Watershed Forest Reserves (CWFR).

As predators, these tiny primates help structure insects and other communities of their prey, and conversely, when preyed upon, they impact their predators population.

However, charismatic as they are, tarsiers are threatened by illegal hunting and habitat loss. They are listed under Other Threatened Species (OTS) in DENR Admin Order 2019-09 hence, assessment and monitoring of the area they inhabit are needed for their rigid conservation. 

Further, tarsiers are protected under Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, thus catching them is punishable by law. (DENR CENRO-Cantilan/PIA-Surigao del Sur)