Tarsiers are small primates with a big personality. These tiny creatures are found in Southeast Asia and are among the most unusual animals on the planet. With huge eyes, long limbs, and amazing jumping skills, tarsiers look like something from a fantasy world. Although they are not very well known, tarsiers have many fascinating traits that make them special. In this article, you’ll learn 10 terrific facts about these interesting animals that live in forests and trees.
1. Tarsiers Have the Largest Eyes (Compared to Body Size) of Any Mammal
One of the first things people notice about tarsiers is their enormous eyes. Each eye is as big as the tarsier’s brain! In fact, their eyes are the largest in proportion to body size of any known mammal. These big eyes help tarsiers see very well at night, which is when they are most active. They don’t have a reflective layer in their eyes like some other night animals (such as cats), so they need very large eyes to let in more light.
Tarsiers can’t move their eyes in their sockets like humans do. Instead, they move their entire head to look around. This brings us to the next amazing fact.
2. Tarsiers Can Turn Their Heads 180 Degrees in Each Direction
Since tarsiers cannot move their eyes side to side, they have adapted in a different way. Tarsiers can turn their heads almost all the way around—up to 180 degrees in either direction. This means they can look behind them without turning their body. This skill is very useful when they are hunting or watching for danger. Their flexible necks help them stay aware of their surroundings even while sitting still.
3. Tarsiers Are Extremely Small—About the Size of a Human Hand
Tarsiers are some of the smallest primates on Earth. Most of them measure only 3 to 6 inches (7 to 15 centimeters) tall, not counting their tail. Despite their small size, they have very long legs and tails, which help them move quickly and jump between trees. Their body is lightweight, which makes it easier for them to leap from branch to branch with amazing speed.
Their long fingers and toes also help them cling tightly to branches. Their fingers are so long that they sometimes look like spider legs.
4. Tarsiers Are Incredible Jumpers
Tarsiers have extremely strong back legs. Their hind limbs are much longer than their front ones, and they use these legs to jump up to 40 times their body length in a single leap. That would be like a human jumping over an entire basketball court in one bound!
Tarsiers often use their jumping power to catch insects in the air or leap from one tree to another while hunting.
5. Tarsiers Eat Only Meat—No Fruits or Leaves
Most primates eat a mix of fruit, leaves, and small animals. But tarsiers are special because they are true carnivores. This means they eat only meat. Their diet includes insects, lizards, small birds, bats, frogs, and other tiny creatures.
Tarsiers usually hunt by sitting very still and watching with their large eyes. Once they spot prey, they leap onto it quickly and catch it with their hands and sharp teeth.
6. They Use High-Pitched Sounds to Communicate
Tarsiers use a variety of sounds to communicate with each other, including some that humans can’t hear. These are called ultrasonic sounds, which are high-pitched noises above the range of human hearing. Other animals like bats and dolphins also use ultrasonic calls.
Scientists believe that tarsiers use these sounds to find each other in the dark, warn about danger, or attract mates. Some tarsiers also make chirps, clicks, and squeaks that humans can hear. Each sound may have a different meaning.
7. Tarsiers Live in Trees and Rarely Come Down to the Ground
Tarsiers are arboreal, meaning they live in trees. They sleep, hunt, and travel all among the branches. Their hands and feet are specially designed to grip tree trunks and branches tightly. Their long tails help them balance while they leap and climb.
Because they are small and fragile, tarsiers almost never go down to the ground. On the forest floor, they would be more likely to be eaten by predators like snakes or wild cats. Staying in the trees helps them stay safe.
8. Tarsiers Are Shy and Easily Stressed
Tarsiers are very sensitive animals. Loud noises, bright lights, or too much handling by humans can stress them out. In fact, tarsiers kept in captivity often become anxious and may hurt themselves. That’s why many wildlife experts say that tarsiers should not be kept as pets or displayed in zoos that don’t provide quiet, natural environments.
If you ever visit a place with tarsiers, it’s important to stay quiet and avoid using flash photography or touching them.
9. Tarsiers Have Existed for Over 50 Million Years
Tarsiers are ancient animals. Fossils show that tarsier-like creatures lived as far back as 55 million years ago, long before humans or modern monkeys. While many species have gone extinct, the ones alive today are considered “living fossils.” This means they have stayed almost the same for millions of years.
They are part of a special group of primates that is neither monkey nor ape. They are more closely related to early primates that lived during the age of dinosaurs.
10. Some Tarsier Species Are in Danger
Tarsiers are found only in a few countries, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Their homes are in tropical rainforests, but many of these forests are being cut down to make space for farms or buildings. This means tarsiers are losing their homes and may not have enough food or safe places to live.
Some species of tarsiers are now endangered, which means they are at risk of disappearing forever. Conservation groups are working to protect their forests and teach people how important tarsiers are to the environment.
There are protected areas in the Philippines and Indonesia where tarsiers are allowed to live without danger. These places help scientists study them and keep them safe.