The Tarsier Conservation Area on Bohol Island in the Philippines is a protected area dedicated to preserving the Philippine tarsier, one of the smallest primates in the world. Known for their strikingly large eyes in a tiny body, these fascinating animals play a vital role in maintaining the island’s biodiversity and ecological harmony.
But the tarsiers are under threat, in particular from the growth in the human population. Many of the forests where they live have been cleared for farming or housing. They are also threatened by captivity, when locals capture them to keep as pets or (more often) to make money from by showing them to tourists. Tarsiers need live insects to eat, and their diet suffers in captivity. Worse, they are easily stressed by loud noises, bright lights and human contact. They’ve even been known to commit suicide by hitting their heads and thus breaking their thin skull.
The sanctuary preserves an area of forest where they can live in safety. The aims include not only conservation but also education of both locals and tourists. Visitors can observe tarsiers in their natural habitat, with pretty much guaranteed sightings at no threat to the animals.
Visiting the sanctuary
On arrival we watched a short video in which we learned among other things that their eyes are bigger than their brains, that their eyeballs are fixed but they can rotate their heads 180 degrees, and that they have just one baby at a time. And they really are tiny, averaging 85 to 160 mm (3.35 to 6.30 inches) in height.
Further information gleaned from Wikipedia on my return home includes the fact that the tarsiers, unsurprisingly with these huge eyes, have excellent night vision. In bright light those eyes can constrict until the pupil appears to be only a thin spot. But in low light or darkness, the pupil can dilate till it fills almost the entire eye. The large ears are mobile, and almost constantly moving, allowing the animal to hear any movement. The long digits have rounded pads that allow it to cling easily to trees and to grip almost any surface. I was almost as fascinated by those fingers as by the eyes!
After the video we followed a winding path through part of the forest. I wondered if we would spot the little primates among the trees. Helpfully, there were sanctuary guides along the path pointing out each spot where a tarsier was resting. Most were tucked under leaves, making them hard to photograph. I was a bit disappointed with my results but really happy to have seen them. And I did manage to get enough decent photos (with a bit of help from Topaz Denoise AI!)
I have already shared one photo from our visit. But when I saw Egidio’s Wild Lens Artists challenge I just had to share a few more along with more detailed information about the work done here to protect these adorable creatures.







I have been fortunate to be able to see so much wildlife around the world, from huge whales and elephants to tiny insects. But these tarsiers will for sure be among my fondest memories as they are just so incredibly cute!
I visited Bohol in February 2025
31 Comments
JohnRH
Fascinating creatures, great photos. Evolution, go figure. 🤷♂️
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, it’s amazing how different species evolve 🙂 Thank you John
I. J. Khanewala
They are lovely creatures. I’ve been thinking of visiting Bohol, and your post makes me want to firm up that plan.
Sarah Wilkie
I can definitely recommend a visit there, as well as other Philippine islands 🙂
Sofia Alves
You’ve done incredibly well, Sarah. They are so cute!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Sofia, I’m glad you liked them 😊
margaret21
Seeing these creatures in your shots really was an ‘Aaaw, so cute!’ moment. How much more so for you! But it’s a bit depressing reading about how threatened they seem to be. Hope that sanctuary makes a real difference.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Margaret 🙂 I believe the sanctuary is making a difference both by providing a safe habitat and educating locals. Also, the Philippines government has passed legislation to protect the tarsiers. But they are still considered a threatened species, unfortunately.
margaret21
It’s a start …
Anna
Lol they are so cute. I want one! 😂
Sarah Wilkie
I wanted one too! I actually looked for a soft toy version in the souvenir shops but all they had were little ones attached to key chains or even hats – not my sort of thing at all.
norasphotos4u
Oh my gosh – can they get any cuter!
Sarah Wilkie
Not sure that they could! Thanks Nora 😀
bushboy
They beat my cute from around here hands down
Sarah Wilkie
I don’t know Brian – aren’t they rather like bushbabies?
bushboy
Oh yes there are lots of cute in Australia but nothing as small and cuddly like tarsiers around my place is what I meant
Monkey's Tale
They are beyond adorable! And you ended up seeing quite a few. Hopefully this Sanctuary and others help to build up their numbers. Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Maggie 🙂 Adorable indeed! I think the work of this sanctuary and a couple of others is helping but they are still considered threatened unfortunately.
Egídio
Oh, wow, Sarah! I’m super happy you shared these images. What a treat! Tarsiers are really adorable. It’s wonderful to have a sanctuary for them. Great post and photos!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Egidio 😊 I was planning to share them in due course anyway, but your challenge really pushed me to do so! I had a feeling people would love them 😉
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
Adorable! Glad they are being preserved.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anabel 🙂 It’s great to visit conservation projects like this!
Anne Sandler
Oh my, they sure can capture your heart. Thank you for educating us.
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you loved them – thank you Anne 🙂
restlessjo
Not sure I’d even heard of them, Sarah, but I can see why you were smitten xx
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Jo 🙂 We saw a Martin Clunes documentary on TV in which he visited this sanctuary, and that was a large part of our inspiration to visit the Philippines!
restlessjo
It’s surprising what sparks an adventure, isn’t it? And this was a good one xx
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
They look like Yoda 😀 These are lovely images and work is done to preserve them
Sarah Wilkie
Indeed – our guide told us Yoda was modelled on them! Thank you Ritva 🙂
Sue
As you say, they are so incredibly cute! That sanctuary looks To be doing a marvellous job
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Sue – the numbers of tarsiers on Bohol is now growing again, I believe, so yes, they seem to be doing a great job 🙂 And it’s such a hit with the tourists, the money must really help them in their work!