Tarsier's are small primates with gigantic eyes. I find them absolutely adorable, but I'm a sucker for big pretty eyes and soft critters. They resemble a pygmy marmoset crossed with a bat and have some truly ginormous eyes. They currently live in Southeast Asia but were once far more widespread. Tarsier's are the only carnivorous primate. They like to prey on insects,lizards, and especially birds. They are mainly nocturnal but you can find some awake in the day but acting far more lethargic.
Might as well start with the Tarsier's most defining feature their eyes. Each eyeball can stretch 16 mm in diameter, considering this animal is barely larger than your hand and with a head 20 cm long, eyes that large is quite a feat. Their eyes are actually larger than their brain, they also lack the ability to reflect light.Their eyes and how they connect to their brain gives good reasoning that tarsier is actually an older species of primate. Our thalamus receives visual information and is connected to our eyes directly, a tarsier has a very different arrangement than all other primates.
Tarsier's got their name because they have very elongated tarsus bones in their feet. Their fingers are also elongated and have nails. The third digit on their hands is almost as long as their entire forearm and contains a single long claw. Their strange limbs make them adept for tree living. Tarsiers are known to leap and catch birds mind flight and jump to another tree.
Tarsiers have never been able to sustain a population in captivity. Their is only a few sanctuaries that have been established successfully. This is a great example of an animal who has been greatly affected by habitat loss. The only way for this unusual creature to survive is by having large sections of forest to roam and re-populate.
That's it for now,
Cass
PS you have to admit they have cute moments....
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