Tarsier stressed, bleeding

Bleeding through its legs and clinging to a tree, a tarsier in one of the caged tourist viewing sites in Loboc, looked stressed and lonely.

The wounded tarsier, found to have an infection that led to the bleeding, just stared at passing tourists without a single movement.

Although it is rare to hear reports of injured tarsiers, provincial lawmakers are already pushing for an immediate regulation in issuing permits to private individuals and entities displaying tarsiers away from their natural habitat.

Scientific studies have pointed to the finding that tarsiers do not cope well in captivity. There have been reported cases where caged tarsiers inflict harm on itself, to the point of death, due to the stress caused by their confinement.

A joint committee of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) – the committees on environment and tourism – is presently reviewing national and local laws for the protection and preservation of the tarsiers.

“Tarsiers should not be taken away from their natural habitat,” says Board Member Alfonso Damalerio II, who co-chairs the joint committee together with Board Member Corazon Galbreath.

The alarm was issued after the Loay river cruise recently got its permit from DENR regional offices in Cebu City, by-passing the local DENR in the province.

The Provincial Tourism Council (PTC) chaired by Peter Dejaresco passed a resolution during its execom meeting last Monday demanding an explanation from DENR Reg'l Director Leonardo Sibbaluca why such permit was issued to the new tarsier display site.

Director Sibauca, who attended the meeting of the Panglao Island Tourism Estate (PITE) in Loboc last Friday, assured an investigation which might lead to the revocation of said permit since it did not pass the local DENR offices,.

The lawmakers equally agree that there should be an immediate regulation of giving permits to display the tarsier, which has become a signature mascot in promoting Philippine tourism.

The tarsiers are said to be endemic species found in the towns of Corella, Loboc, Sevilla and Bilar.

Starting this week, the joint committee will conduct hearings together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), tourism industry stakeholders and representatives of the local government units.

Business establishments, especially those that are tourism related, have proliferated due to the issuance of permits by the DENR. The primates can now be viewed by tourists in the towns of Panglao, Loay, Albur, Anda and Sagbayan. These towns are not considered as “natural habitat” of the tarsiers.

“Some permitees are collecting the tarsiers to be displayed as an additional attraction in areas that are frequently visited by tourists,” Damalerio said.

The DENR has announced that they have already conducted an inventory of the world famous tarsiers although authorities are still worried to note that the primates are increasingly traded and brought outside the province.

It was former Pres. Fidel Ramos who declared the small primates as specially protected faunal species under Proclamation No. 1030 in 1997.

The hunting, killing, wounding and taking in possession of the tarsiers was prohibited under the law which directed the DENR to establish “appropriate sanctuaries” to preserve the species.

In 2001, Republic Act No. 9174 or the wildlife conservation law included the protection and conservation of the tarsiers and its habitat as part of Philippine heritage.

Possession of wildlife, such as the tarsier, is not allowed unless a person or entity can prove financial and technical capability and the facility to maintain its existence.

Moreover, the breeding or propagation of wildlife resources for commercial purposes can only be allowed by the DENR through the issuance of a wildlife farm culture permit.

Commercial breeding of wildlife is also subject to an environmental impact study, the law states..

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In 1996, the Philippine Tarsier Foundation Inc. was founded which acquired a 170 hectare sanctuary for the species.

The foundation was granted gratuitous permit to collect tarsiers for research and breeding. The gratuitous permit also provided a quota for breeding and the species remain the property of the Philippine government.

Recently, through the assistance of Rep. Edgar Chatto of the first district, the tarsier sanctuary undergoes improvement of facilities, including the landscaping with an allocation of P1.5 million from the Philippine Tourism Authority.

The congressman has also been credited for securing a yearly P5 million allocation in the annual budget for the tarsier preservation program coursed thru the Department of Environment and Natural Resources..

The sanctuary development has boosted the campaign to view the endangered specie right in its natural habitat.