Adopt a tarsier program launched

MANILA, Philippines –  The Philippine tarsier is the subject of the Adopt-a-Wildlife Species (AAWS) program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Romeo Trono, executive director of Conservation International (CI)-Phils., project implementor, said it is urgent to determine the critical habitats of the tarsier and its population distribution, particularly in the provinces of Bohol, Samar and Leyte.

“We need to check on the status of tarsiers as well as the socio-economic factors affecting them. This will be done by conducting feasibility studies in the subject areas,” he said.

The tarsier program will be funded by CEMEX Foundation and be undertaken over four years.

Tarsiers live in both primary and secondary forests, from sea level up to 750 meters. The tarsiers’ habitat is the same forest that provides ecosystem services – fresh water, healthy soil, reliable food and stable climate. Destruction of its habitat would affect the building blocks that sustain life.

Darwin Mariano, executive director of CEMEX, said they chose to adopt the tarsier since “it is a very attractive symbol of what we can do for the country,” adding that species conservation is very close to CEMEX.

An initial amount of P1.5 million will be used for the first phase of the project. “We expect that to increase as other groups and companies get to participate,” Trono said.