Loboc River Tarsier Project

[Peter Dickinson]

I reckon that we can learn a lot from visiting bad animal collections as well as the good. The bad I find are mostly as a result of ignorance. The owners and staff just know no better and don't have the cash to put things right. One of the exceptions to this is the horrific Loboc River Tarsier Project. This place is raking the cash in from all angles. What it does not do is show one iota of care for the animals upon whose back they are earning a living. It is doubtful if any of the animals live more than a few weeks.

 

[Chlidonias]

I can't stand these Philippines tarsier outfits. Tarsiers are fantastic little creatures and in the Philippines there are several of these establishments where the poor animals suffer a short and miserable existence. Its hard to blame the tourists who visit because to them the tarsiers seem so cute and tame as they sit catatonic in the sun being poked and patted until they die. It makes me very sad.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Been to this wonderful place. The hire driver thought he was doing me a favour ... it made me cringe. They had posters up not to handle, touch or feed the tarsiers ....!!! But no overseer intervened ... it was I in the end. It made me cringe. And yes, I do blame the tourists for their ignorance ... If you only have quarterhalf the respect for nature, you would not do what some of them folk go ape over ...

All the while I would have wanted to have gone to the Tarsier Center which has a secondary forest reserve nearby ... the guy seemed to know the place, but barked up the wrong tree and alley .... (we did pass round a fine sustainable eco-butterfly park with good interpretation.