Before reaching the Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary in the quiet town of Corella in Bohol, I was still of the impression that tarsiers, because of their appearance and lifestyle, are monkeys. I remembered my high school zoology teacher calling the tarsier as the smallest monkey in the world. But it is not a monkey, according to researchers and scientists.
Some say it should be classed as prosimians like lemurs, lorises and bush babies, an older (or "lower") order of primates that could date back 55 million years. Other researchers think the tarsier, whose name "tarsier/tarsius" is derived from its very long anklebones, is part of a more recent (or "higher") order of primates, like monkeys and humans.
But for Pizarras, who has spent more than half of his lifetime taking care of the animal, the tarsiers are unique creations with unique characteristics and lifestyle. With grayish brown fur and a nearly naked tail, the animals rarely grow to more than half a foot long. They are nimble climbers in the trees and hop like tiny kangaroos on the ground. They can leap as far as 10 feet (about 20 times their body length) to flee predators. Their huge eyes allow them to see well at night, when they hunt for crickets, beetles, termites and other creatures.
Tarsiers are not social creatures who are always willing and eager to have photo sessions with humans. Although looking cute and cuddly, the tarsier is an extremely nervous creature, instantly upset by unwanted intrusions. They live in territories where no other tarsier can enter; else a fight could ensue leading to one's death.
Another unique characteristic of the tarsiers is its mating style, said Pizarras. During mating season, male tarsiers produce a unique sound which signifies that they are welcoming female tarsiers into their territory. Female tarsiers then troop to the male tarsier's territory and leave their urine on the branches or trees. After making his choice by sniffing the female tarsier's urine, the male tarsier then calls back the female tarsier that he wants to mate. After mating, the male tarsier then shoo the female tarsier away from his territory.
The tarsier, whose pregnancy lasts for about six months, gives birth to only one offspring each year. A newborn tarsier can already cling to branches after another six months, the baby tarsier is weaned from the mother. Tarsier fathers don't care about their offspring, Pizarras said.
