# Tarsier — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Infraorder Tarsiiformes — ~11 species in family Tarsiidae*

> Tarsiers are tiny nocturnal primates of South-east Asian islands, with the largest eyes relative to body size of any mammal; most species are Vulnerable to Endangered due to habitat loss and the pet trade.

**IUCN status:** Varies by species (Vulnerable to Endangered)  ·  **WARN range:** Philippines, Indonesia (Sulawesi and islands), Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak)

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Weight | 57–150 g depending on species |
| Diet | Fully carnivorous — insects, lizards, small birds |
| Activity | Strictly nocturnal |
| Eyes | Largest relative to body size of any mammal |
| Locomotion | Vertical clinging and leaping |
| CITES | Appendix II |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Primates
- **Suborder:** Haplorhini
- **Infraorder:** Tarsiiformes
- **Family:** Tarsiidae

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Most species Vulnerable to Endangered. Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta) listed as Near Threatened; several Sulawesi species Endangered.
- **Population:** Unknown for most species; declining across all islands
- **Trend:** Decreasing due to habitat loss and pet trade
- **Assessed:** Varies by species
- **CITES:** Appendix II

## Key facts: Tarsier
- Tarsiers have the largest eyes relative to body size of any mammal.
- They are the only fully carnivorous primates, eating insects, lizards and small birds.
- Tarsiers cannot survive in captivity on improper diets — many die within months.
- All species are island endemics, making them especially vulnerable to habitat loss.
- The pet trade and tourist handling cause severe stress and mortality.
- Philippine and Sulawesi species face different threats but share forest dependence.

## An ancient primate lineage
Tarsiers belong to the infraorder Tarsiiformes, a branch of primates that diverged from other groups more than 50 million years ago. Once widespread across Asia, Europe and North America, tarsiers now survive only on South-east Asian islands. Roughly 11 species are recognised, grouped into three genera: Carlito and Tarsius (Philippines and Sulawesi region) and Cephalopachus (Bornean and Sumatran islands).

Each island population is often genetically distinct, making local extinctions irreversible. Tarsiers cannot rotate their eyes in their sockets; instead, they rotate their head almost 180 degrees, like an owl.

## Nocturnal hunters
Tarsiers are strictly nocturnal and carnivorous — unique among primates. They hunt insects, spiders, lizards, small birds and bats, leaping up to two metres to catch prey. Enormous eyes gather light for night vision; large ears detect the faintest rustle.

Long hind limbs and a elongated ankle bone (the tarsus, which gives the animal its name) power explosive vertical leaps. Tarsiers cling vertically to branches, never moving on all fours. They are solitary or live in monogamous pairs with offspring, communicating through ultrasonic calls beyond human hearing.

## Tarsiers and the pet trade
Tarsiers are frequently captured for the illegal pet trade and tourist attractions in the Philippines and Indonesia. Unlike slow lorises, they are not venomous, but they are equally unsuited to captivity. Tarsiers have extremely high metabolic rates and need live insect prey; many die within weeks of capture from stress and improper feeding. Tourist facilities that allow handling of tarsiers for photographs cause chronic stress, leading to self-mutilation and early death. Ethical sanctuaries keep tarsiers in dark, quiet enclosures with no public contact. CITES lists tarsiers on Appendix II, requiring permits for international trade.

## Conservation across islands
Habitat loss from logging, agriculture and mining threatens every tarsier species. Philippine tarsiers have lost lowland forest across Bohol, Samar and Mindanao. Sulawesi species face similar pressures as plantations expand. Because tarsiers are island endemics with small ranges, even modest habitat loss can eliminate a population. Protected areas, ecotourism that prohibits handling, and enforcement against the pet trade are the main conservation tools. WARN's slow loris and orangutan work in Indonesia and Malaysia overlaps tarsier range, where shared anti-trafficking and habitat protection efforts benefit all nocturnal primates.

## Related WARN guides
Tarsiers are ancient primates — read WARN's slow loris guide for other nocturnal strepsirrhines, gibbon page for South-east Asian apes, and monkey species library for wider context.

Never handle tarsiers for tourism photos — stress kills them within days.

Forest protection in the Philippines, Sulawesi and Borneo benefits every tarsier species.

## What WARN does
WARN funds slow loris rescue and anti-trafficking work in Indonesia and Malaysia — countries where tarsiers face the same pet trade and habitat pressures. This tarsier guide is free public education about one of South-east Asia's most fragile primates.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

## Frequently asked questions: Tarsier
### How big is a tarsier?
Tarsiers are among the smallest primates, weighing 57–150 grams depending on species — roughly the size of a tennis ball. Their bodies are 8–15 cm long, with tails of similar length.

### Why do tarsiers have such big eyes?
Tarsiers are nocturnal hunters and their enormous eyes gather maximum light. Each eye is larger than their brain. They cannot move their eyes in their sockets, so they rotate their head up to 180 degrees instead.

### Are tarsiers related to lemurs?
Tarsiers are more closely related to monkeys and apes (simians) than to lemurs, though they look superficially lemur-like. They belong to their own ancient infraorder, Tarsiiformes.

### Can you keep a tarsier as a pet?
No. Tarsiers are fully carnivorous, need live insect prey and suffer extreme stress in captivity. Most captured tarsiers die within weeks. The pet trade is a major threat to wild populations.

### Where do tarsiers live?
Tarsiers live only on islands of South-east Asia — the Philippines, Sulawesi and surrounding Indonesian islands, and parts of Borneo. Each island often hosts distinct species.

### Are tarsiers endangered?
Most tarsier species are Vulnerable to Endangered due to habitat loss and the pet trade. Island endemism makes local extinctions particularly irreversible.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List — Tarsiidae assessments](https://www.iucnredlist.org/)
- [CITES — Checklist of CITES Species](https://checklist.cites.org/)
- [Philippine Tarsier Foundation](https://www.philippinetarsier.org/)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/tarsier