SUPER ANIMAL: Tarsier

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Tarsier

The Tarsier is a small species of primate that is found inhabiting the well-vegetated forests on a number of island in south-east Asia. Although fossil records show that Tarsiers would have once been found on mainland Asia, Europe, North America and in Africa, modern Tarsiers are today restricted to just a handful of island in Malaysia, Indonesia and the southern Philippines.The Tarsier is a unique and distinctive looking animal that has evolved a number of specific features to aid it's nocturnal and arboreal lifestyle. Although the exact appearance of the Tarsier may vary slightly between species, all are relatively similar with a small, stocky body and long tail that is either sparsely covered in fur or has a tuft at the end Their immensely soft fur varies from grey, to brown or ocher in color depending on the species, but all Tarsiers share the characteristic long hind legs which enable them to leap distances of up to 5 meters between branches