It is crucial for every conservation project to attract local people that are responsible for nature protection to join the conservation efforts. Therefore, when I was choosing a locality for our next research during this year, the possibility of cooperation with local organizations played an important role. There are two protected landscapes around Bilar so this area attracts interests of conservationists. We got great support in Simply Butterflies Conservation Centre which belongs to highly visited tourist spots here on Bohol island for several years. It brought us possibility to share information about tarsiers and our project with visitors.

Another important institution involved in the project is Bohol Island State University here in Bilar. In fact, our research is being done in forest managed by the university. We would be very happy if local researchers and student join our project and get practical experiences and hopefully continue in conservation activities in the future. So we were pleased when we were asked to prepare presentation for students and teachers of all subject related to research and nature conservation. On 24^th February we had the presentation Radiotelemetry and conservation of threatened species of the world together with Lubomír Peške. Lubomír introduced the use of various technologies in research of different behavioural aspects especially in birds and then we followed with presentation about the Tarsius project. The audience was interested in the presentation. This semester is ending here in the Philippines, so we hope to attract some students of pre-final year to join us during or after the holidays.

We were lucky yesterday again and with help of skilful local hunter we succeed to catch another tarsier female and radio-collar her. This female unfortunately does not have the adoptive parent yet and also the name. Join our tarsier adoption and support radio-tracking of the Philippine tarsier. Your contribution of 4 thousand CZK (150 euro) will help us to pay the cost of one radio-collar. As a reward you will receive detail information about life of this animal, colourful picture of the Philippine Tarsier, video and audio recordings and actual information about movements of “your” tarsier that we will collect in the field. The lifespan of battery in the radio-collar is lesser then one year, so we will have to change the radio-collars. However, you can enjoy the benefits of an adoptive parent during the whole period of study of “your” tarsier! Tarsius Project account.

We are happy to inform you that a first tarsier caught for the research purpose wears a radio-collar. We caught a young female last week with the help of local hunters. This female has already an adoptive parent and he named her Theia. We follow Theia every night since the last Sunday and we hope that we will catch more tarsiers soon. Unfortunately, we do not have adoptive parents for them yet. If you want to support our project, this is a way how to do it. Please find more information here.

After a few months spent in the Czech Republic I returned back to the Philippines at the end of the year to kick-off  next fieldwork period of the Tarsius Project.

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The whole profit will be used for the objectives of the Tarsius Project

Please order at: tarsiusproject.jana@gmail.com

PRICE of 1 magnet is 2,5 euro (+ postal charge + please check the bank transfer fees).

Tarsius Project account

We thank for support to all friend of the Philippine tarsier and wish a successful and happy new year.

Would you like to spend interesting time in an exotic country knowing that you help to protect one charismatic species? If yes, we are looking for you.

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“Do you think it is normal for two adults to hang around voluntarily in the jungle in the middle of the night and moreover when it is raining?” I am asking the darkness beside me. The darkness is silent for a while only rain can be heard. In the end the darkness gives me the answer: “Sure, it is not.” I can feel the darkness laughing and I catch myself laughing as well. “Let´s go”, commands the darkness which in the flashlight has the image of a young woman. In a raincoat and a little light on her forehead she reminds of a will-o´-the-wisp. I am following doctor Mili in the jungle to become a part of the night dwarfs´world for a few days….

You will find exclusive reportage together with photographs in September edition of magazine Koktejl. Author of the article is photographer Petr Slavík who spent some time with us in the field in April this year (in Czech language only).

We spent already several months on the locality following tarsiers every night. During this time we had opportunity to collect valuable data about their nightly movements and home-range size. We also got several recordings of their acoustic communication. At the end of April one of the radio-collared female gave birth and we had very special opportunity to study another part of their lives. We followed the baby approximately for one month and watch its first steps. Unfortunately, our happiness didn?t last for long. The feral cats, civets, snakes and birds of prey are the most common natural predators and one of them also finished short life of our baby. It is very sad news, especially when the mother can also give birth once in a year

Shortly after this event we decided to finish our radio-tracking. We recaptured the animals and remove radio-collars. The first part of the field-work is over, but the project continues!

This time we do not present news about tarsiers but something else strongly related to our work here.

One of the major parts of the Tarsius project is conservation education. In May we had great opportunity to lead Summer Science Internship Program for high school students. Thirteen students from Philippine Science High School in Cebu joined our project for twelve days. The major objectives were to teach them how to do the research in the field, educate them more about nature conservation and especially to give them more information about the unique Philippine tarsiers. During the first days we explain them all about the methodology that we used here. They learnt how to use GPS, an especially how to locate the animals using radio receiver, antenna and compass. We also showed them how to record tarsier vocalization. On the following days the students worked in pairs on data collection. One of the tasks for the students was to prepare an educational programs that can be used for elementary and high school students’ education here in the visitors centre in Corella.

I must say that the Summer Science Internship Program was very successful, the students enjoyed the stay and work here and gained much information about the necessity of nature conservation. And finally I’d like to thank to all participant.