Which rainforest primate has enormous eyes and is native to the Philippines?

The Philippine tarsier is the rainforest primate with enormous eyes that is native to the Philippines. Its scientific name is Carlito syrichta, and it is one of the world’s smallest primates.

Each eye is extremely large relative to the animal’s head, helping the nocturnal tarsier collect light in dark forest conditions. The eyes cannot rotate like a human’s, so the tarsier can turn its head to look around. Its flexible neck allows a rotation of roughly 180 degrees in either direction.

Unlike many small primates, tarsiers are mainly animal-eaters. They hunt insects, spiders, lizards, birds, and other small prey, often leaping from branches to capture them. Their elongated ankle bones help them make powerful jumps.

The Philippine tarsier is found on several Philippine islands, including Bohol, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. Habitat loss, disturbance, and illegal capture threaten local populations. It is not a lemur, monkey, or slow loris, despite being related to those groups within the primate order.