Report : Tarsius Tarsier

Tarsius Tarsier

Source: http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/fs/sheets/images/601lg.jpg

Classification : 

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Family:	Tarsiidae
Genus:	Tarsius
Scientific Name:	Tarsius
Common Name:	Tarsier

Tarsier Distribution and Habitat

Although they were once found around the world, today Tarsiers are restricted to a number of islands in south-east Asia. Western Tarsiers are generally found in lowland primary forests or low mountain forests on the islands of Borneo, Sumatra, Bangka, Belitung, Kalimanta and small surrounding islands.

Tarsier Diet and Prey

The Tarsier is a unique animal as they are the only completely carnivorous primates in the world. Under the cover of night, Tarsiers sit clinging to vertical branches where they wait motionless and survey their surrounds 180 degrees each way watching closely with their huge eyes and picking up on even the tiniest noise with their incredibly sensitive hearing. Once food has been located, the Tarsier moves slightly closer to it before leaping onto it and catching it with it's front hands. The long fingers and toes of the Tarsier enable it to also trap flying prey mid-air and provide an almost cage-like device to prevent it from escaping before the Tarsier has killed it. Insects make up the bulk of a Tarsier's diet along with small vertebrates such asfrogs, lizards and small birds.

Tarsier Predators and Threats

Due to the small size of the Tarsier, they are preyed upon by numerous animalspecies in the surrounding forest including cats, birds of prey, large snakes and smallcarnivores depending on the region in which they live. Tarsiers are able to keenly sense the presence of a potential predator and often use their strong hind legs to leap to a safer branch. However, the remaining Tarsier populations are at a greater risk from people than anything else, primarily in the form of the degradation and fragmentation of their habitats. 

Tarsier Anatomy and Appearance

The Tarsier is a unique and distinctive looking animal that has evolved a number of specific features to aid it's nocturnal and arboreal lifestyle. Although the exact appearance of the Tarsier may vary slightly between species, all are relatively similar with a small, stocky body and long tail that is either sparsely covered in fur or has a tuft at the end. Their immensely soft fur varies from grey, to brown or ochre in colour depending on the species, but all Tarsiers share the characteristic long hind legs which enable them to leap distances of up to 5 meters between branches. The long fingers and toes of the Tarsier are tipped with pads and have nails to help them grip onto branches and prey, with long, curved claws on their second and third digits which are used for grooming. The most distinctive features of the Tarsier though can be found on their heads which (thanks to specially adapted vertebrae) are able to turn 180 degrees in both directions so that this primate can see behind it without moving it's body. Their enormous eyes can be up to 16mm across and enable the Tarsier to hunt for prey and watch out for predators in the dark.

Source : http://a-z-animals.com/animals/tarsier/