For years, the Higaonon tribe in Barangay Tama, a remote hinterland village in the Municipality of Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental, has frequently encountered small, furry creatures with large eyes in the dense forest near the border with Carmen, Agusan del Norte. It wasn’t until Barangay Tama Chairman Isaac Mandahinog and his group visited Bohol that they learned these small primates are called Tarsiers — an endangered species.
Following this discovery, local officials, led by Municipal Mayor Charlie B. Buhisan, are actively raising awareness about the presence of the Philippine Tarsier in this part of the country. They are calling for a unified effort among the local government, residents and concerned agencies to protect this endangered species of tarsier, being one of the smallest primates in the world. Their goal is to preserve the tarsier’s habitat and establish Barangay Tama and the municipality of Magsaysay as a sanctuary for the Philippine Tarsier.
Check out some of the photos taken during a documentation of the tarsiers in Barangay Tama, Magsaysay.
all photos by Tom Udasco
