Most would call it cute; some might call it weird. It has lanky legs, soft fur, and huge shining eyes. Its body is about five inches in length, and weighs about four ounces. What is it? It is the Tarsier! Its eyes, ears, hands, feet, legs, and tail seem a little to big for the creature's tiny body. Yet, a closer look at this oddity can show you amazing designs. In 1997, the government of the Philippines declared the Philippine tarsier a specially protected species. It is illegal to hunt it, damage its habitat, or even keep it as a pet. The tarsier enjoys the affection of people and is a tourist attraction.
Hearing: The tarsier's paper thin ears can curl, uncurl, and turn to hear the smallest of sounds.
Its keen hearing helps it to avoid predators and to find its own prey. After dark, the tarsier's ears will tune in to the sound of crickets, birds, beetles, and frogs. Then its whole head will follow, directing those bulging eyes to food.
Grip: The tarsier's hands are made for grabbing thin branches. Its fingers have pads with ridges that grip like a tread on a tire. Even when sleeping, the tarsier needs to hold on tight. Ridges on the underside of its tail help it to remain firmly propped in position until it wakes up.
Vision: No other mammal has eyes that are as large in comparison with the size of its body. In fact, each of the tarsier's eyes are bigger then its brain! The tarsiers eyes cannot turn its sockets; they always stare straight ahead. Is this a disadvantage? Not really. The tarsier can turn its head 180 degrees in either direction.
Agility: The tarsiers legs have the strength to jump a distance of 20 feet. When hunting, the tarsier leaps into a dark area and grabs its prey with pinpoint accuracy.
The skull of a tarsier
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