In tarsier territory

In the town of Corella on Bohol Island, the Philippine Tarsier Foundation set up shop in 1996, aiming to provide a natural habitat for the animals and an opportunity to study their behavior. Luxury travel: The most remote resorts in the PhilippinesThe Foundation looks after roughly 100 of these animals across an 8.4-hectare forested sanctuary, with one open observational enclosure that allows tarsiers to come and go as they please."Since tarsiers are so rare, many people try to exploit them -- turning tarsiers into an attraction," explains Cabillo."Thousands of tourists come to Bohol to see these creatures every year. But they're often under stressful and unnatural conditions. They're being shown off during the day, when they should be sleeping."If the animals are up all day, they can't hunt at night, which causes a destructive cycle."They'll be hungry and unhappy, and struggle to reproduce," says Cabillo. "The less the human intervention for the tarsiers, the better."

Life of a tarsier

A trek through the sanctuary will reward travelers with a glimpse of these quirky animals without disturbing them, thanks to expert tarsier spotters who know their habits.By day, they'll likely be lazing around in the trees, resting after an active night of hunting.

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Tarsiers spend all night leaping through the trees, up 10 to 15 feet at a time, to hunt live prey such as crickets, small birds, beetles, lizards and frogs. "Sometimes you'll see three, sometimes five -- and if you're lucky, you'll see a mom and a baby together," says Cabillo.The animal's oversized eyes are actually larger than both its brain and stomach, which accounts for its owl-like behavior."Because of their huge eyeballs, tarsiers can't move their eyes around, so instead they move their neck," says Cabillo."They can move 180 degrees left, and 180 degrees right."

Like a tiny lion

The diminutive primate might seem soft and cuddly, but it isn't as sweet as it looks."Male tarsiers are very territorial," explains Cabillo. "If a male trespasses on another's territory, they will fight to the death."

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The women behind the Philippines' bubbling craft beer sceneIf the usurper wins? He will practice infanticide, killing the opponent's offspring.Low birth rates and infanticide makes it doubly difficult for the animals to maintain their populations. Similar to humans, female tarsiers produce just one baby a year. They are pregnant for six months, then care for the infant for another six months, teaching it to hunt and survive on its own."They may be cute, but they are predators by nature," says Cabillo. "They are like a tiny version of a lion."