@amur leopard Not really. Although there are literally less 'on show than a few years ago, they've been so sparsely held in the last decade anyway that the decline can't be said to represent a trend.
@amur leopard
I feel like my reply may have been confusingly worded. I said off-show rather than 'not held' purely because of Singapore's situation, which I don't know much about.
Here's what I do know:
Since I joined ZooChat in 2015, I know of three 'major' zoos that have had tarsiers on-show:
Ueno, SG Night Safari and Rhenen. Rhenen received theirs from RSCC who I believe didn't display them, and at Rhenen they didn't live particularly long. Singapore and Ueno have both held theirs for quite a few years, but last year I only saw two at Ueno which is a lot less than the six previously reported. And obviously SG's not being on-show may or may not mean anything.
There are other places in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines which either have them off-show (Bogor), or have held them short-term (Lok Kawi).
They are notoriously hard to keep in captivity, but I don't really know much about why. I'm pretty sure diet and a proclivity to injure themselves on enclosure walls plays a part. I've always been intrigued by this since galagos seem to do so well.
@FunkyGibbon I was also wondering about this Galago - Tarsier difference. I have heard Tarsier are much more easily stressed out. But both Tarsier enclosures I have seen (Rhenen & Singapore) were also on the small side for theire jumping abilities. Galago often fare better in this respect as they are often combined with Aardvark (not so great for the Aardvark in general) and thus have significantly more space.
According to Zootierliste, Singapore Night Safari is still a holder of Spectral tarsier (Tarsius tarsier). Have they bred them there or not yet? Also, remind me, were the founder stock captive bred, or wild caught? and when did Singapore Night Safari first acquire them?
