Members of an Indigenous Peoples (IPs) community and a concerned resident of Barangay Suli saved a Philippine tarsier in the town of Kiamba, Sarangani Province on 11 April 2026.
According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Soccsksargen, the said animal with a scientific name of Carlito syrichta measured around 3.5 inches and was successfully released back into its natural habitat.
The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Kiamba led the releasing operation after conducting a health assessment of the animal.
The concerned local of Barangay Suli had retrieved the primate after members of an Indigenous Peoples (IPs) community brought it down from upland forest areas, who initially thought it was a “small monkey.”
Said incident is more than just a routine rescue, it could be a significant clue in confirming the presence of tarsiers in Kiamba where exact habitats remain undocumented.
The Philippine tarsier, a nocturnal primate found only in the country, is known for its tiny size and large eyes , and also known to be extremely sensitive to human contact and rarely survive outside their natural habitat.
The successful release is a positive step in local conservation efforts, as habitat loss and human disturbance continue to threaten the species in the wild.