Netizens burst with frustration at vloggers handling and toying with 2 helpless tarsiers
ENDANGERED SPECIES – Two vloggers who went viral for handling and toying with two helpless tarsiers have earned the ire of netizens.
A tarsier is a small, nocturnal primate native to Southeast Asia, particularly found in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia. They are known for their distinctive large eyes, which are among the largest relative to the body size of any mammal. Tarsiers are arboreal creatures, meaning they spend most of their time in trees, and they primarily feed on insects.
There are various species of tarsiers, such as the Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta), which is found in the Philippines, and the spectral tarsier (Tarsius spectrum), which is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.
They face threats to their survival primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation caused by deforestation, agricultural expansion, and logging. Additionally, they are sometimes captured for the illegal pet trade, which further endangers their populations.
Due to these threats, many tarsier species are considered endangered or vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Conservation efforts are ongoing to protect their habitats and raise awareness about the importance of preserving these unique and vulnerable primates.
Meanwhile, two vloggers face backlash over a video circulating online where they can be seen handling two helpless tarsiers. In the video, the alleged ‘vloggers’ are seen trying to make the said endangered species smile. The video also shows how the men toyed with the primates. According to Farm Boy, the uploader of the video, they released the endangered species themselves.
As of press time, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has yet to issue any statement regarding the treatment of the vloggers to the tarsiers, which are considered among the endangered species in the country.
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