Page 23 - World of Animals - Issue #36

Bizarre!

The tiny primate with

eyes as big as its brain

This strange little mammal has enormous eyes, super long fingers and a

head that can turn 180 degrees to spot its prey in the dark

PHILIPPINE TARSIER
Tarsius syrichta
Class Mammalia

Territory Southeastern
Philippines
Diet Insects, small birds, bats,
lizards, snakes
Lifespan Up to 16 years
Adult weight 113-142g (4-5oz)
Conservation Status

NEAR THREATENED

Their heads can
turn 180 degrees

This shy and elusive creature has the
ability to see behind it without moving its
body. Like an owl it can rotate its head
around 180 degrees to spot its dinner.
Once ready to attack, it uses the long

nails on its fingers and toes to dig in.

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he
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They’re the only
onl
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carnivorous apes
The tarsier’s diet is mainly made up of
insects, but they are also known to eat
small birds, bats, lizards and snakes. Unlike
most arboreal animals. They do not hunt by
moving around; instead they wait silently
until they are ready to pounce on their prey.
The name tarsier They are tiny, They have the
comes from its but their babies largest eyes of all
ankle bone are huge mammals

The ankle bone or tarsus is where tarsiers get Tarsiers give birth to the largest babies in Relative to its body size, the tarsier has the
their name. It is because of this bone that this the animal kingdom, relative to their body largest eyes of any mammal. Measuring 16
incredible primate is able to jump 40 times the size. Their young are born with their big eyes millimetres (0.63 inches), each eyeball can
length of its own body. They can leap distances open and at one day they can already jump. equal the size of its brain. This nocturnal
of five metres (16.4 feet) between trees, although They develop very quickly and are even able creature uses its huge peepers and sensitive © Dreamstime

they tend to stay quite close to the ground. to hunt by themselves after just one month. large ears to make it easier to hunt in the dark.

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