One of the 3 tarsiers on WAnimals
Mammals · Primates · Tarsiidae
Spectral Tarsier
Tarsius tarsier
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
The spectral tarsier is a tiny primate endemic to the island of Sulawesi. Like all tarsiers it has disproportionate eyes, very long hind legs with an elongated ankle and toes tipped with adhesive pads. It hunts insects, lizards and small birds from ambush, leaping several metres between vertical trunks. Unlike other tarsiers it lives in stable family groups that sleep together in the hollows of strangler figs and defend a territory.
Weight
100 g – 130 g
Size
9.5 cm – 14 cm
Lifespan
12 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
In pairs
Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Fun facts
- GeneralIts eyes are larger than its brain and it cannot move them: it turns its head 180 degrees instead.
- It communicates in ultrasound: its calls reach frequencies far above the limit of human hearing, so a whole group can be calling without a person a metre away hearing a thing.
- Pairs sing a duet at dawn, just before retiring to sleep, a ritual that announces the territory and keeps the group together.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Mangroves, coastal scrub and secondary forest of northern Sulawesi, in Indonesia
- Sexual maturity
- 14 months
- Gestation / incubation
- 5.2 months
- Litter / clutch size
- 1
Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Spectral Tarsier — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Western Tarsier
Tarsius bancanus
Hairy Babirusa
Babyrousa babyrussa
Common Water Monitor
Varanus salvator
Nicobar Pigeon
Caloenas nicobarica
Philippine Tarsier
Tarsius syrichta
Common House Gecko
Hemidactylus frenatus
How to help
The spectral tarsier is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 1 real protected area — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about spectral tarsier.
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