ANOTHER tarsier was sighted in Davao Region, this time, inside a banana plantation in Panabo City, Davao del Norte.
Tadeco ko Bai, the Facebook page of Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Inc. (Tadeco) employees, said in its social media post on Wednesday, July 8, 2020, that they did not expect to see a tarsier within their area.
"We thought we could only see tarsiers in Bohol but we kid you not, we found out that we have tarsiers near the boundaries of TADECO!" The group said.
Tadeco employees, along with its security team, said the tarsier was turned over to Panabo City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Panabo-Cenro).
"We hope to preserve these little ones; so, when you find one, please turn it over to the nearest local DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) office," the group said.
Panabo-Cenro officer-in-charge Rogelio Hermo told SunStar Davao in a phone interview that the tarsier was immediately brought to the veterinarian for a check-up and was cleared for any injuries and other disorders.
Hermo said the tarsiers were immediately brought to the Regional Wildlife Rescue Center in New Balamban, Tagum City.
He said they cannot give an assessment yet as they are still investigating as to why the tarsier was spotted in the area.
Although he said that tarsiers or any wildlife sighting in a certain area are an indicator of having a good and healthy forest ecosystem.
He also said that the lockdown restrictions of human movement due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is also a possible factor as to why some wildlife species have been reportedly sighted during the quarantine period.
However, Hermo reminded the public to report sightings of tarsiers and other wildlife to their office and called on the public not to harm, kill, trade and possess it because they are listed under nearly threatened species.
"Unta kung makakita mog mga sama aning tarsier ug ubang wildlife, palihog i-report kini sa among buhatan aron mahimuan namo'g lakang (please immediately report to our office if you sight any tarsier or other wildlife specifies so that we can immediately take action on it)," he said.
Two months ago, a tarsier was also found on a farm near a school in Barangay Megkawayan in Calinan District, Davao City. The tarsier was also turned over to DENR Davao Region and a wildlife rescue center.
DENR Davao regional public affairs office chief Jayvee Jude Agas said experts have yet to study the species of tarsiers present in the forests of Mindanao and its characteristics and distinctions from the popularly known tarsiers in the Visayas, specifically in Bohol.
“Our forest ecosystem is still good. Tarsiers or any other wildlife are actually one of the indicators for having a good and healthy forest ecosystem,” Agas said.