Philippine Tarsier Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Incorporated (PTFI) is a non-profit, non-stock corporation
based in Tagbilaran City
, Bohol
, Philippines
, established in 1996 to conserve, promote research and establish a sanctuary
for the Philippine Tarsier
. It is an entirely private sector
initiative, but has strong support from two leading organizations in conservation and eco-tourism, namely the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) and the Department of Tourism
(DOT). To ensure the continued existence of the Philippine Tarsier, the Foundation is attempting to bring tourism
to the province of Bohol in a way that is ecologically friendly to the Philippine Tarsier.
Organized by local businessmen in Bohol, an island of 1.2 million people, the foundation runs a 7.4-hectare (20.7-acre) sanctuary
or forest reservation, nestled within a larger protected forest where about a thousand other Philippine Tarsier are believed to live, protected by a permanent logging ban. At the reservation, visitors can observe the Philippine Tarsier in its natural habitat, in an enclosure, or conduct research at the Philippine Tarsier Research and Development Center. Here, researchers fitting temporary radio collars helped establish the animals' breeding and eating habits as well as their territorial ranges.
(MOA) with the DENR signed on April 27, 1997, the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Incorporated has the following missions
: to establish a forest reserve
in the island of Bohol which shall serve as the sanctuary of the Philippine tarsier; to protect and manage the tarsier sanctuary
through the active participation of local communities; to establish and maintain a wildlife research laboratory for the study of the ecology
and biology
of the Philippine tarsier; to establish and maintain visitor facilities for ecotourism
and disseminate information material about the Philippine tarsier with emphasis on the species' protection and conservation.
The foundation's four-point conservation program include:(1) Tarsier research
to study the tarsier's biology and behavior
; record its population
and distribution; identify habitat
and food source; and develop instructional or educational materials; (2) Tarsier habitat management by defining the perimeter of the sanctuary with its topography
surveyed and mapped; vegetation
and wildlife within assessed; all flora and fauna inventoried and indexed; appropriate signage installed in strategic places; and adequate measures taken to ensure the integrity and security of the reservation; (3) community management by establishing, maintaining and continuously updating community profiles in the area; regularly conducting dialogues and like activities to enlighten local residents on the purposes of the sanctuary and encourage their cooperation and participation toward achieving these; integrating tarsier conservation into day-to-day activities; and envisioning and implementing awareness and income-generating projects; and (4) visitor management which involves the development of an overall site plan; the design and layout of essential facilities; the identification of significant areas and potential attractions; the construction of a visitor complex; the laying out of ecotours and the training of guides for them; and the production of tourism-related materials.
The foundation also runs a Tarsier Research and Development Center which serves as a visitor and information center and which also coordinates the conduct of research on the Philippine Tarsier. Researchers fitting temporary radio collars helped establish the animals' breeding and eating habits as well as their territorial ranges. Among the researches conducted are: (1) inventory of the flora and fauna of the Philippine Tarsier sanctuary conducted by the National Museum of the Philippines
with students of Divine Word College of Tagbilaran (now Holy Name University
) in 1998; (2) "Home Ranges, Spatial Movements and Habitat Association of the Philippine Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta) in Corella, Bohol" by Dr. Irene Neri-Arboleda, 1999, University of Adelaide
, Australia; (3) "Molecular pyelography of Philippine Tarsiers: Implications for Biodiversity Assessment and Conservation" to be conducted by Dr. Irene Neri-Arboleda; and (4) "Introducing an innovative semi-captive environment for the Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta)", 2004 by David S. Jachowski and Carlito Pizarras.
, photographic and social surveys of the Tarsier Sanctuary and its vicinity. It also undertook the commission of a comprehensive site plan, including the architectural design of the planned visitor complex and other support facilities and amenities. The Foundation has designated approximately 134 hectares as public domain
. With the environment department playing an oversight role, the tarsier foundation has asked other Bohol towns with tarsier populations to donate 20 hectares (49.4 acres) of forestland for conservation.
To date, the Foundation has acquired 7.4 hectares of land in Canapnapan, Corella, Bohol
for the sanctuary. Within the sanctuary, tarsiers roam freely and visitors can only go to a spot where they can be seen but not touched.
Existing in the area now is a spacious net enclosure where 100 Philippine Tarsiers are kept safe from predators as well as for feeding, breeding and display. The 100 tarsiers in the enclosure have gotten used to a 7 feet (2.1 m) fence that circumscribes the territory. At night, they can be seen climbing out of the fence to forage for food farther into the forest. They return again before daybreak, as if observing a curfew.
Carlito Pizarras serves as the Field Supervisor of the sanctuary, as employee of the foundation, assuming responsibility for the maintenance of the net enclosure and its inmates. Because they are extremely shy and nervous, tarsiers can only be handled by an experienced keeper.
The foundation further coordinates the conduct of reforestation
projects and other related activities or initiatives.
Through its "Supporting the Philippine Tarsier Conservation Program", First Gen donated Php2 million to the Philippine Tarsier Foundation to help fund the Philippine Tarsier Conservation Program which is focused on preventing the extinction of the indigenous Philippine tarsier. A portion First Gen's donation was used to fund research on the implications for Biodiversity Assessment and Conservation in the provinces of Visayas
and Mindanao
where tarsiers have been found to live. Additional amounts to be disbursed in 2005 and 2006 will be used for organizing communities towards the protection of the tarsier and the promotion of eco-tourism within the sanctuary area in Corella, Bohol. Scarce government funding, however, leaves the preservation effort primarily in the hands of the private sector.
The foundation also conducted individual and corporate membership campaigns aimed at allowing as many local residents as possible to actively support and participate in the Philippine Tarsier Foundation. This is in the firm belief that no undertaking of such a nature can flourish without a strong community base. Subsequently, the campaign will be extended to the rest of the country and abroad, with environmentally involved or aware institutions, agencies, companies and persons foremost in mind.
While for the moment the Foundation is focusing its efforts in Bohol, it hopes eventually to link up with groups similarly engaged in nature conservancy elsewhere in the Philippines, with whom it may jointly develop projects toward protecting the tarsier, other endangered, protected and rare fauna and flora species, and their natural habitats.
In addition, plans to expand and replicate the program in other areas with Philippine Tarsier populations like Mindanao, Leyte
, and Samar
are also envisioned.
Visitors can choose to either see and observe the Philippine Tarsier in the net enclosure or in their nature habitat through the tarsier trail. As mentioned earlier, the net enclosure has a seven-foot fence where 100 Philippine Tarsiers are kept for feeding, breeding and display. Here, visitors can get up close and personal with the species, or take pictures, but are urged to do so quietly and not to handle them so as not to put stress on the animals who are asleep during daytime.
The Tarsier Trail is a pathway that meanders through the gently rolling terrain of the interior towns of Corella, Sikatuna
and Loboc
of Bohol. Over a distance of roughly 15 kilometers it traverses the natural habitat of the Philippine tarsier, offering numerous vantage points from which to catch a glimpse of the Philippine Tarsier in the wild and become acquainted with a wide variety of local flora and fauna.
s of mahogany
, teak
and ficus
trees, and reminded that up to the last century, Bohol was a main source of hardwood used in the construction of sea vessels, churches, houses and for furniture throughout the Central Visayas
region. They are also introduced to the many varieties of palm
, fern
, bamboo
and other greenery growing in profusion on both sides of the Philippine Tarsier trail.
As they proceed farther, they are alerted to the fauna these parts are home to, the most common among them being the serpent eagle
, brahmini kite
, woodpecker
, rocky-tailed blue-headed parrot
, grass owl
, scoop owl, bubock pigeon
, water cock, parakeets, and reel. Monkey
s, monitor lizard
s and snake
s like the python and the cobra
still abound, and on a good day, the trekkers may even be treated to sightings of the macaque
, palm civet cat
, and Philippine civet cat. The entire area, needless to say, is insect paradise, teeming with the creatures that are a staple of the diet of the Philippine tarsier, which will only ingest them live. All these may be observed either at ground level or from a series of elevated decks erected along the trail, some with restrooms nearby.
From the hinterlands of Sikatuna
, the trail then crosses over into Loboc near the source of the broad and deep river, where after a course that can take anywhere from two hours to half day, swimming and sunbathing comes as a welcome respite. A short visit to the coraline stone Loboc church, a fine example of the more subdued but nonetheless still grand Jesuit baroque style for which the province is famous, comes next. Then, just across the road from the church, the trekkers board bamboo rafts, partaking of a native seafood buffet or a hearty snack as they float lazily down the placid emerald green river up to the small seaport of the town of Loay
. From there, they take the road back to Tagbilaran City, which is no more than an easy 40 minutes away by bus.
, president of the Divine Word College of Tagbilaran
; Anos Fonacier, municipal councilor of Panglao, Bohol
and resort operator; and Col. (Ret.) Zosimo Angan, businessman. They were later joined by Richard Uy, banker, and Marlito Uy, department store owner. Elected principal officers were Fonacier as chairman; Camacho as president; and Alvarez, who is the only non-Boholano on the board, as executive vice-president.
The executive officers of the Board of Trustees and Officers of the Philippine Tarsier Foundation during its incorporation in 1996 are Fr. Florante S. Camacho, SVD
, president; Jesus Alvarez, Executive director; Urbano Lagunay, secretary; Marlito Uy, treasurer; and retired Col. Zosimo Angan as auditor. The Board of Trustees are Anos Fonacier, Chairman; Richard Uy, Vice Chairman; and Honorary Chairperson is Secretary Mina Gabor of the Department of Tourism
Currently, the following are the officers and Board Of Trustees: Chairman, Fr. Florante S. Camacho, SVD; V-Chairman, Mr. Richard T. Uy; President, Ayty. Urbano Lagunay; V-President, Mr. Lyndon Angan (resigned - inactive); Secretary, Glenn Oceña (Program Officer); Treasurer, Mr. Marlito Uy; Members: Atty. Anos Fonacier; Dr. Irene Arboleda (our researcher/scientist); Mr. Soliven Fonacier; Mayor Vito Rapal - Municipality of Corella; and Field Supervisor Mr. Carlito Pizarras ('the tarsier-man')
Pizarras once hunted tarsiers for a living. Since age 12, he gunned down or trapped tarsiers, exotic birds, monkeys, snakes and lizards for his father, a taxidermist
who augmented the family income through the sale of the preserved kill. Pizarras himself caught and sold Philippine Tarsier specimens to collectors, hobbyists and tourists for a living. . He became so adept at the task that he hunted tarsiers by scent, learning that the animals gave off a musk through glands located on their breasts. Then, he shot them out of the trees with air rifles, easily catching about 100 a month. At that time, stuffed tarsiers went for 300 pesos (about five dollars). For those who preferred live pets, catching them alive was a relatively straightforward undertaking. Trees were simply shaken until the tarsiers fell.
Pizarras slowly began to notice that he had to hike deeper into the forest to find one, unlike in the 1960s when one could snatch them off tree branches by the side of the road. He began keeping several of the species for feeding, breeding and display at backyard his residence in Corella, Bohol. He began to breed tarsiers in captivity so he could raise the animals he would stuff. His captive breeding
program was successful that bred 20 Philippine Tarsiers in captivity. He sent 10 live tarsiers bred this way to the Chicago Zoo in the United States in 1985.
Pizarras eventually gave up his air gun, formaldehyde
and the other awful tools of his trade some time in the 1970s and devoted the rest of his life to trying to save the exotic
mascot of the Philippines' receding tropical forests. He has since become an enthusiastic environmentalist
and conservationist. The Philippine Tarsier Foundation Incorporated heard about his enthusiasm and recruited him as field supervisor of the sanctuary. "I love this job because it's actually a dream come true," Pizarras said, beaming. "Since I was small, I've always wanted to breed tarsiers, but we didn't have the money for the land. It's good that now, there are people who are as concerned."
Though Pizarras is not a biologist
and completed only high school, he can churn out facts about the Philippine Tarsier and its fight for survival as though he were a walking PTFI brochure. For his diligence and native knowledge of the creature, Pizarras has been featured on the National Geographic
channel. The Reader's Digest
also gave him an award in November 2000 as a "Hero for Today."
The indigenous knowledge Pizarras has learned about the Philippine Tarsier that he shares with the visitors at the Philippine Tarsier Research and Development Center are that it is useless and doubly cruel to keep the animal as a pet because it is capable of "committing suicide" in captivity. Just to get out, it will bang its head on the cage until it dies. Pizarras said that he has witnessed this many times. If you frequently hold it in your hands, it will be under such stress that it will grow stiff and eventually stop breathing. Thus, touching the "sensitive" tarsier is a no-no in the sanctuary. It is very inviting to do so, especially since even at daytime, the animal is not easily scared by approaching people and tends to rest on tree trunks and twigs at eye level.
The tarsier, especially if it's a male, is also a territorial
creature. A male would attack any young tarsier venturing into its territory and kill it with a fierce bite. "That's why when there's a newborn, we try to check on the position [of mother and offspring] three times a day," he said, adding that the male tarsier's murderous disposition precluded keeping it in a small, enclosed space. The creatures seem to have a good memory, too. "Because whenever there are guests, that's when their eyes stay wide open. If it's just me around, they give me a brief look and go back to sleep," he said. The tarsier mainly dines on insects, usually crickets, and frogs. Its chief predator, on the other hand, is the common house cat. The estimated 100 tarsiers in the PTFI sanctuary can climb over the surrounding seven-foot-high net fence to hunt elsewhere at night. But they almost always return before daybreak. The fence is actually more for keeping the cats out and the insects in, Pizarras explained. Thus, he and two other staff members have made it their daily morning routine to inspect the net for breaches. At night, with the help of strong fog lights, flying insects from neighboring hills are drawn to the sanctuary, providing the tarsiers a steady menu.
As an extra labor of love for his wards, Pizarras and his team bring in insect eggs that they find outside the sanctuary for hatching. Captivity itself is [the animal's] death sentence. It can be so sensitive that a camera flash can kill it. Incorrectly regarded by Filipinos as the world's smallest "monkey," it is really a cousin of the lemur and the tree shrew. An adult male with gray or reddish fur grows to about 130 grams (0.29 pounds), about the size of a human fist, and with its long, naked tail for balance it jumps like a frog across low-hanging tree branches at night. It eats about a 10th of its weight in moths, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and beetles. Left in the wild, tarsiers can live up to 15 years. Although technically it is not yet a part of the country's endangered species list, the government believes without human intervention it could disappear in a few years.
Hunting and trading in Tarsius syrichta, the species found in the Philippines, was banned in the mid-1990s, when Pizarras flew to Manila with two orphaned tarsier babies to meet Prince Charles, who was in the country, and enlisted the heir to the British throne's support to help save the species. In the wild, the territorial males attract four or five females who mate only during the full moon after a week of courtship. Each gives birth to a single young after a six-month pregnancy. The young tarsiers are pretty much on their own after six months. Raising tarsiers as pets is a cruel sport, said Pizarras, who insists the stressed-out animals actually commit suicide or otherwise will themselves to die inside their cages. They would smash their head on the bars in a bid to escape until they crack their skulls. He also insists the animal had the capacity to simply stop breathing (a more debatable proposition).
Non-stock corporation
A non-stock corporation is a corporation that does not have owners represented by shares of stock. That type of corporation is called a stock corporation. Instead, a non-stock corporation typically has members, who are the functional equivalent of stockholders in a stock corporation Non-stock...
based in Tagbilaran City
Tagbilaran City
Tagbilaran City is a 2nd class component city in the island province of Bohol, Philippines and serves as its capital. Tagbilaran lies on the southwestern part of the province, and has a total land area of 32.7 km², with about 13 km of coastline...
, Bohol
Bohol
Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, established in 1996 to conserve, promote research and establish a sanctuary
Animal sanctuary
An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and be protected for the rest of their lives. Unlike animal shelters, sanctuaries do not seek to place animals with individuals or groups, instead maintaining each animal until his or her natural death...
for the Philippine Tarsier
Philippine Tarsier
The Philippine Tarsier , known locally as the Kupal in Cebuano/Visayan and Mamag in Luzon, is an endangered species of tarsier endemic to the Philippines. It is found in the southeastern part of the archipelago, particularly in the islands of Bohol, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao...
. It is an entirely private sector
Private sector
In economics, the private sector is that part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is run by private individuals or groups, usually as a means of enterprise for profit, and is not controlled by the state...
initiative, but has strong support from two leading organizations in conservation and eco-tourism, namely the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Philippines)
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for governing and supervising the exploration, development, utilization, and conservation of the country's natural resources.-History:The Department of Environment and Natural...
(DENR) and the Department of Tourism
Department of Tourism (Philippines)
The Department of Tourism is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the regulation of the Philippine tourism industry and the promotion of the Philippines as a tourist destination....
(DOT). To ensure the continued existence of the Philippine Tarsier, the Foundation is attempting to bring tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
to the province of Bohol in a way that is ecologically friendly to the Philippine Tarsier.
Organized by local businessmen in Bohol, an island of 1.2 million people, the foundation runs a 7.4-hectare (20.7-acre) sanctuary
Sanctuary
A sanctuary is any place of safety. They may be categorized into human and non-human .- Religious sanctuary :A religious sanctuary can be a sacred place , or a consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.- Sanctuary as a sacred place :#Sanctuary as a sacred place:#:In...
or forest reservation, nestled within a larger protected forest where about a thousand other Philippine Tarsier are believed to live, protected by a permanent logging ban. At the reservation, visitors can observe the Philippine Tarsier in its natural habitat, in an enclosure, or conduct research at the Philippine Tarsier Research and Development Center. Here, researchers fitting temporary radio collars helped establish the animals' breeding and eating habits as well as their territorial ranges.
Mission
Under a Memorandum of AgreementMemorandum of Agreement
A memorandum of agreement or cooperative agreement is a document written between parties to cooperatively work together on an agreed upon project or meet an agreed objective. The purpose of an MOA is to have a written understanding of the agreement between parties.An MOA is a good tool to use for...
(MOA) with the DENR signed on April 27, 1997, the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Incorporated has the following missions
Mission statement
A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making...
: to establish a forest reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in the island of Bohol which shall serve as the sanctuary of the Philippine tarsier; to protect and manage the tarsier sanctuary
Sanctuary
A sanctuary is any place of safety. They may be categorized into human and non-human .- Religious sanctuary :A religious sanctuary can be a sacred place , or a consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.- Sanctuary as a sacred place :#Sanctuary as a sacred place:#:In...
through the active participation of local communities; to establish and maintain a wildlife research laboratory for the study of the ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
and biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
of the Philippine tarsier; to establish and maintain visitor facilities for ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
and disseminate information material about the Philippine tarsier with emphasis on the species' protection and conservation.
Conservation program
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
to study the tarsier's biology and behavior
Behavior
Behavior or behaviour refers to the actions and mannerisms made by organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with its environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the physical environment...
; record its population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
and distribution; identify habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
and food source; and develop instructional or educational materials; (2) Tarsier habitat management by defining the perimeter of the sanctuary with its topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
surveyed and mapped; vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
and wildlife within assessed; all flora and fauna inventoried and indexed; appropriate signage installed in strategic places; and adequate measures taken to ensure the integrity and security of the reservation; (3) community management by establishing, maintaining and continuously updating community profiles in the area; regularly conducting dialogues and like activities to enlighten local residents on the purposes of the sanctuary and encourage their cooperation and participation toward achieving these; integrating tarsier conservation into day-to-day activities; and envisioning and implementing awareness and income-generating projects; and (4) visitor management which involves the development of an overall site plan; the design and layout of essential facilities; the identification of significant areas and potential attractions; the construction of a visitor complex; the laying out of ecotours and the training of guides for them; and the production of tourism-related materials.
Programs, projects, and activities
Tarsier research
The Philippine Tarsier Foundation undertakes the collection and cataloguing of all available research materials on the Philippine Tarsier from various institutions and agencies in the country and abroad; and the production of information and promotional materials.The foundation also runs a Tarsier Research and Development Center which serves as a visitor and information center and which also coordinates the conduct of research on the Philippine Tarsier. Researchers fitting temporary radio collars helped establish the animals' breeding and eating habits as well as their territorial ranges. Among the researches conducted are: (1) inventory of the flora and fauna of the Philippine Tarsier sanctuary conducted by the National Museum of the Philippines
National Museum of the Philippines
The Museum of the Filipino People is a department of the National Museum of the Philippines that houses the Anthropology and Archaeology Divisions of the National Museum. It is located in the Agrifina Circle, Rizal Park, Manila adjacent to the main National Museum building...
with students of Divine Word College of Tagbilaran (now Holy Name University
Holy Name University
Holy Name University or HNU is a Catholic institution of higher learning located in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines. It is a private, non-profit, co-educational university run by the Society of the Divine Word or SVD...
) in 1998; (2) "Home Ranges, Spatial Movements and Habitat Association of the Philippine Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta) in Corella, Bohol" by Dr. Irene Neri-Arboleda, 1999, University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
, Australia; (3) "Molecular pyelography of Philippine Tarsiers: Implications for Biodiversity Assessment and Conservation" to be conducted by Dr. Irene Neri-Arboleda; and (4) "Introducing an innovative semi-captive environment for the Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta)", 2004 by David S. Jachowski and Carlito Pizarras.
Tarsier habitat management
In terms of habitat management, the foundation conducted a series of environmental, topographicTopography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
, photographic and social surveys of the Tarsier Sanctuary and its vicinity. It also undertook the commission of a comprehensive site plan, including the architectural design of the planned visitor complex and other support facilities and amenities. The Foundation has designated approximately 134 hectares as public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
. With the environment department playing an oversight role, the tarsier foundation has asked other Bohol towns with tarsier populations to donate 20 hectares (49.4 acres) of forestland for conservation.
To date, the Foundation has acquired 7.4 hectares of land in Canapnapan, Corella, Bohol
Corella, Bohol
Corella is a 6th class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 7,471 people. It is located 10 kilometers north of the provincial capital, Tagbilaran City...
for the sanctuary. Within the sanctuary, tarsiers roam freely and visitors can only go to a spot where they can be seen but not touched.
Existing in the area now is a spacious net enclosure where 100 Philippine Tarsiers are kept safe from predators as well as for feeding, breeding and display. The 100 tarsiers in the enclosure have gotten used to a 7 feet (2.1 m) fence that circumscribes the territory. At night, they can be seen climbing out of the fence to forage for food farther into the forest. They return again before daybreak, as if observing a curfew.
Carlito Pizarras serves as the Field Supervisor of the sanctuary, as employee of the foundation, assuming responsibility for the maintenance of the net enclosure and its inmates. Because they are extremely shy and nervous, tarsiers can only be handled by an experienced keeper.
The foundation further coordinates the conduct of reforestation
Reforestation
Reforestation is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands that have been depleted, usually through deforestation....
projects and other related activities or initiatives.
Community management
In Bohol, the foundation has also encouraged the formation of the "Friends of Tarsier," an association composed of local professionals, religious and civic leaders, media practitioners, businessmen, government executives and workers, and students committed to tarsier conservation effort in particular and environmental protection and preservation in general. The foundation also made appeals for both financial and technical assistance from various organizations, corporations and individuals, public and private, Filipino as well as foreign, which have shown themselves to be similarly minded and are past and present contributors to such causes. The first to respond to these solicitations has been the Department of Tourism, which has released to the Foundation a generous grant earmarked for projects and activities in the ecotourism field.Through its "Supporting the Philippine Tarsier Conservation Program", First Gen donated Php2 million to the Philippine Tarsier Foundation to help fund the Philippine Tarsier Conservation Program which is focused on preventing the extinction of the indigenous Philippine tarsier. A portion First Gen's donation was used to fund research on the implications for Biodiversity Assessment and Conservation in the provinces of Visayas
Visayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
and Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
where tarsiers have been found to live. Additional amounts to be disbursed in 2005 and 2006 will be used for organizing communities towards the protection of the tarsier and the promotion of eco-tourism within the sanctuary area in Corella, Bohol. Scarce government funding, however, leaves the preservation effort primarily in the hands of the private sector.
The foundation also conducted individual and corporate membership campaigns aimed at allowing as many local residents as possible to actively support and participate in the Philippine Tarsier Foundation. This is in the firm belief that no undertaking of such a nature can flourish without a strong community base. Subsequently, the campaign will be extended to the rest of the country and abroad, with environmentally involved or aware institutions, agencies, companies and persons foremost in mind.
While for the moment the Foundation is focusing its efforts in Bohol, it hopes eventually to link up with groups similarly engaged in nature conservancy elsewhere in the Philippines, with whom it may jointly develop projects toward protecting the tarsier, other endangered, protected and rare fauna and flora species, and their natural habitats.
In addition, plans to expand and replicate the program in other areas with Philippine Tarsier populations like Mindanao, Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, and Samar
Samar
Samar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...
are also envisioned.
Visitor management
The Tarsier Research and Development Center about 14 km outside the provincial capital, Tagbilaran City, in the town of Corella, Bohol, also serves as visitor center. The center has a reception and souvenir counter, an exhibit area, an audio-visual room, restrooms, and administration offices. Outside is a lounge deck, and nearby a parking lot, beyond which no vehicles will be allowed.Visitors can choose to either see and observe the Philippine Tarsier in the net enclosure or in their nature habitat through the tarsier trail. As mentioned earlier, the net enclosure has a seven-foot fence where 100 Philippine Tarsiers are kept for feeding, breeding and display. Here, visitors can get up close and personal with the species, or take pictures, but are urged to do so quietly and not to handle them so as not to put stress on the animals who are asleep during daytime.
The Tarsier Trail is a pathway that meanders through the gently rolling terrain of the interior towns of Corella, Sikatuna
Sikatuna, Bohol
Sikatuna is a 4th class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it had a population of 6,335 people. The town is named after Datu Sikatuna, the ancient chieftain of Bohol.-Barangays:...
and Loboc
Loboc, Bohol
Loboc is a 5th class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. It is mere 24 km away from Tagbilaran City, the provincial capital of Bohol. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 16,299 people. It is the Music Capital of Bohol....
of Bohol. Over a distance of roughly 15 kilometers it traverses the natural habitat of the Philippine tarsier, offering numerous vantage points from which to catch a glimpse of the Philippine Tarsier in the wild and become acquainted with a wide variety of local flora and fauna.
Tarsier trail
The tarsier trail begins at the Tarsier Research and Development Center in Barangay Canapnapan, Corella, Bohol. While there, the trekkers are oriented to the unique characteristics and habits of the Philippine Tarsier through multi media presentations such as a photographic display and an audio-visual presentation. In small groups, they are conducted by trained volunteer guides, mostly college students from Tagbilaran City, through the 134-hectare forested area that has been set aside as the Tarsier Sanctuary, populated by an estimated 500 of the species divided into mini-colonies of no more than three to 10 adults and offspring each. Along the way, they see mature secondary growthSecondary growth
In many vascular plants, secondary growth is the result of the activity of the two lateral meristems, the cork cambium and vascular cambium. Arising from lateral meristems, secondary growth increases the girth of the plant root or stem, rather than its length. As long as the lateral meristems...
s of mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
, teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
and ficus
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
trees, and reminded that up to the last century, Bohol was a main source of hardwood used in the construction of sea vessels, churches, houses and for furniture throughout the Central Visayas
Central Visayas
Central Visayas, designated as Region VII, is a region of the Philippines located in the central part of the Visayas island group. It consists of four provinces—Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor— and the highly urbanized cities of Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City....
region. They are also introduced to the many varieties of palm
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
, fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
, bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
and other greenery growing in profusion on both sides of the Philippine Tarsier trail.
As they proceed farther, they are alerted to the fauna these parts are home to, the most common among them being the serpent eagle
Philippine Serpent Eagle
The Philippine Serpent Eagle, Spilornis holospilus, is an eagle found in the major islands of the Philippines. It is sometimes treated as a race of the Crested Serpent Eagle . This species is usually found in forest clearings, open woodlands, and sometimes in cultivated lands with scattered...
, brahmini kite
Brahminy Kite
The Brahminy Kite , also known as the Red-backed Sea-eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers. They are found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia...
, woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
, rocky-tailed blue-headed parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
, grass owl
Grass Owl
Grass Owl may refer to any of the following two species:* African Grass-owl, Tyto capensis* Australasian Grass-owl, Tyto longimembris...
, scoop owl, bubock pigeon
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
, water cock, parakeets, and reel. Monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
s, monitor lizard
Monitor lizard
Monitor lizards are usually large reptiles, although some can be as small as in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semiaquatic monitors are also known...
s and snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s like the python and the cobra
Cobra
Cobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
still abound, and on a good day, the trekkers may even be treated to sightings of the macaque
Macaque
The macaques constitute a genus of Old World monkeys of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. - Description :Aside from humans , the macaques are the most widespread primate genus, ranging from Japan to Afghanistan and, in the case of the barbary macaque, to North Africa...
, palm civet cat
Civet
The family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammal, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs....
, and Philippine civet cat. The entire area, needless to say, is insect paradise, teeming with the creatures that are a staple of the diet of the Philippine tarsier, which will only ingest them live. All these may be observed either at ground level or from a series of elevated decks erected along the trail, some with restrooms nearby.
From the hinterlands of Sikatuna
Sikatuna, Bohol
Sikatuna is a 4th class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it had a population of 6,335 people. The town is named after Datu Sikatuna, the ancient chieftain of Bohol.-Barangays:...
, the trail then crosses over into Loboc near the source of the broad and deep river, where after a course that can take anywhere from two hours to half day, swimming and sunbathing comes as a welcome respite. A short visit to the coraline stone Loboc church, a fine example of the more subdued but nonetheless still grand Jesuit baroque style for which the province is famous, comes next. Then, just across the road from the church, the trekkers board bamboo rafts, partaking of a native seafood buffet or a hearty snack as they float lazily down the placid emerald green river up to the small seaport of the town of Loay
Loay, Bohol
Loay is a 5th class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 15,881 people. The population has 2 parts, the lower and the upper parts. The lower part used to be called Canipa-an because of the presence of nipa swamps in this part of...
. From there, they take the road back to Tagbilaran City, which is no more than an easy 40 minutes away by bus.
Board of trustees and officers
On April 17, 1996, the Philippine Tarsier Foundation Inc. was registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission, with the following prominent Bohol residents listed as incorporators: the Rev. Florante Camacho, SVDDivine Word Missionaries
The Society of the Divine Word , popularly called the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a missionary religious congregation in the Latin Church, one of the 23 sui iuris churches which make up the Catholic Church. As of 2006 it consisted of 6,102 members composed...
, president of the Divine Word College of Tagbilaran
Holy Name University
Holy Name University or HNU is a Catholic institution of higher learning located in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines. It is a private, non-profit, co-educational university run by the Society of the Divine Word or SVD...
; Anos Fonacier, municipal councilor of Panglao, Bohol
Panglao, Bohol
Panglao is a fourth class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. It is one of two municipalities that make up Panglao Island, the other being Dauis. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 25,558 people....
and resort operator; and Col. (Ret.) Zosimo Angan, businessman. They were later joined by Richard Uy, banker, and Marlito Uy, department store owner. Elected principal officers were Fonacier as chairman; Camacho as president; and Alvarez, who is the only non-Boholano on the board, as executive vice-president.
The executive officers of the Board of Trustees and Officers of the Philippine Tarsier Foundation during its incorporation in 1996 are Fr. Florante S. Camacho, SVD
Divine Word Missionaries
The Society of the Divine Word , popularly called the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a missionary religious congregation in the Latin Church, one of the 23 sui iuris churches which make up the Catholic Church. As of 2006 it consisted of 6,102 members composed...
, president; Jesus Alvarez, Executive director; Urbano Lagunay, secretary; Marlito Uy, treasurer; and retired Col. Zosimo Angan as auditor. The Board of Trustees are Anos Fonacier, Chairman; Richard Uy, Vice Chairman; and Honorary Chairperson is Secretary Mina Gabor of the Department of Tourism
Currently, the following are the officers and Board Of Trustees: Chairman, Fr. Florante S. Camacho, SVD; V-Chairman, Mr. Richard T. Uy; President, Ayty. Urbano Lagunay; V-President, Mr. Lyndon Angan (resigned - inactive); Secretary, Glenn Oceña (Program Officer); Treasurer, Mr. Marlito Uy; Members: Atty. Anos Fonacier; Dr. Irene Arboleda (our researcher/scientist); Mr. Soliven Fonacier; Mayor Vito Rapal - Municipality of Corella; and Field Supervisor Mr. Carlito Pizarras ('the tarsier-man')
Carlito Pizarras
Carlito "Lito" Pizarras, known as the "Tarsier Man", is the Field Supervisor of the 7.4-hectare Philippine Tarsier sanctuary run by the Philippine Tarsier Foundation in Barangay Canapnapan, Corella, Bohol. Hired by the foundation in 1998, he maintains the net enclosure and its 100 Philippine Tarsier inmates. He also serves as a resource person and guide to visitors and researchers at the Research and Development Center.Pizarras once hunted tarsiers for a living. Since age 12, he gunned down or trapped tarsiers, exotic birds, monkeys, snakes and lizards for his father, a taxidermist
Taxidermy
Taxidermy is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display or for other sources of study. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians...
who augmented the family income through the sale of the preserved kill. Pizarras himself caught and sold Philippine Tarsier specimens to collectors, hobbyists and tourists for a living. . He became so adept at the task that he hunted tarsiers by scent, learning that the animals gave off a musk through glands located on their breasts. Then, he shot them out of the trees with air rifles, easily catching about 100 a month. At that time, stuffed tarsiers went for 300 pesos (about five dollars). For those who preferred live pets, catching them alive was a relatively straightforward undertaking. Trees were simply shaken until the tarsiers fell.
Pizarras slowly began to notice that he had to hike deeper into the forest to find one, unlike in the 1960s when one could snatch them off tree branches by the side of the road. He began keeping several of the species for feeding, breeding and display at backyard his residence in Corella, Bohol. He began to breed tarsiers in captivity so he could raise the animals he would stuff. His captive breeding
Captive breeding
Captive breedingis the process of breeding animals in human controlled environments with restricted settings, such as wildlife reserves, zoos and other conservation facilities; sometimes the process is construed to include release of individual organisms to the wild, when there is sufficient...
program was successful that bred 20 Philippine Tarsiers in captivity. He sent 10 live tarsiers bred this way to the Chicago Zoo in the United States in 1985.
Pizarras eventually gave up his air gun, formaldehyde
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is an organic compound with the formula CH2O. It is the simplest aldehyde, hence its systematic name methanal.Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a characteristic pungent odor. It is an important precursor to many other chemical compounds, especially for polymers...
and the other awful tools of his trade some time in the 1970s and devoted the rest of his life to trying to save the exotic
Exotic
Exotic can mean:*In mathematics:**Exotic R4 - differentiable manifold homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to the Euclidean space R4**Exotic sphere - differentiable manifold homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to the ordinary sphere*In physics:...
mascot of the Philippines' receding tropical forests. He has since become an enthusiastic environmentalist
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
and conservationist. The Philippine Tarsier Foundation Incorporated heard about his enthusiasm and recruited him as field supervisor of the sanctuary. "I love this job because it's actually a dream come true," Pizarras said, beaming. "Since I was small, I've always wanted to breed tarsiers, but we didn't have the money for the land. It's good that now, there are people who are as concerned."
Though Pizarras is not a biologist
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
and completed only high school, he can churn out facts about the Philippine Tarsier and its fight for survival as though he were a walking PTFI brochure. For his diligence and native knowledge of the creature, Pizarras has been featured on the National Geographic
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
channel. The Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
also gave him an award in November 2000 as a "Hero for Today."
The indigenous knowledge Pizarras has learned about the Philippine Tarsier that he shares with the visitors at the Philippine Tarsier Research and Development Center are that it is useless and doubly cruel to keep the animal as a pet because it is capable of "committing suicide" in captivity. Just to get out, it will bang its head on the cage until it dies. Pizarras said that he has witnessed this many times. If you frequently hold it in your hands, it will be under such stress that it will grow stiff and eventually stop breathing. Thus, touching the "sensitive" tarsier is a no-no in the sanctuary. It is very inviting to do so, especially since even at daytime, the animal is not easily scared by approaching people and tends to rest on tree trunks and twigs at eye level.
The tarsier, especially if it's a male, is also a territorial
Territory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
creature. A male would attack any young tarsier venturing into its territory and kill it with a fierce bite. "That's why when there's a newborn, we try to check on the position [of mother and offspring] three times a day," he said, adding that the male tarsier's murderous disposition precluded keeping it in a small, enclosed space. The creatures seem to have a good memory, too. "Because whenever there are guests, that's when their eyes stay wide open. If it's just me around, they give me a brief look and go back to sleep," he said. The tarsier mainly dines on insects, usually crickets, and frogs. Its chief predator, on the other hand, is the common house cat. The estimated 100 tarsiers in the PTFI sanctuary can climb over the surrounding seven-foot-high net fence to hunt elsewhere at night. But they almost always return before daybreak. The fence is actually more for keeping the cats out and the insects in, Pizarras explained. Thus, he and two other staff members have made it their daily morning routine to inspect the net for breaches. At night, with the help of strong fog lights, flying insects from neighboring hills are drawn to the sanctuary, providing the tarsiers a steady menu.
As an extra labor of love for his wards, Pizarras and his team bring in insect eggs that they find outside the sanctuary for hatching. Captivity itself is [the animal's] death sentence. It can be so sensitive that a camera flash can kill it. Incorrectly regarded by Filipinos as the world's smallest "monkey," it is really a cousin of the lemur and the tree shrew. An adult male with gray or reddish fur grows to about 130 grams (0.29 pounds), about the size of a human fist, and with its long, naked tail for balance it jumps like a frog across low-hanging tree branches at night. It eats about a 10th of its weight in moths, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and beetles. Left in the wild, tarsiers can live up to 15 years. Although technically it is not yet a part of the country's endangered species list, the government believes without human intervention it could disappear in a few years.
Hunting and trading in Tarsius syrichta, the species found in the Philippines, was banned in the mid-1990s, when Pizarras flew to Manila with two orphaned tarsier babies to meet Prince Charles, who was in the country, and enlisted the heir to the British throne's support to help save the species. In the wild, the territorial males attract four or five females who mate only during the full moon after a week of courtship. Each gives birth to a single young after a six-month pregnancy. The young tarsiers are pretty much on their own after six months. Raising tarsiers as pets is a cruel sport, said Pizarras, who insists the stressed-out animals actually commit suicide or otherwise will themselves to die inside their cages. They would smash their head on the bars in a bid to escape until they crack their skulls. He also insists the animal had the capacity to simply stop breathing (a more debatable proposition).