The Philippine Tarsier

The Philippine Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta), estimated to be 45 million years old and known to be the smallest primate. It’s home is in Bohol. It has gray fur and nearly gray tail. Tarsiers are named as such because of their special elongated tarsal bones, which form their ankles and enable them to leap to almost 10 feet from tree to tree. Their long, partly hairless tail arcs over their back when they hop on the ground. Tarsiers are small and weigh only about 110 to 145 grams or 4 to 5 ounces. The most notable feature of tarsiers is their eyes, which are each bigger than its entire brain. Like owls, tarsiers can rotate their head almost 180 degrees in each direction. They hunt at night exclusively for animal prey and their diet includes insects such as cockroaches, crickets and small lizards.