Tarsier rescued from Forbes Park found dead in its cage 

The tarsier rescued from Forbes Park last week was found dead in its cage Wednesday afternoon, according to the director of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB). 

 

Bureau director Theresa Mundita Lim told GMA News Online that the stress brought about by the artificial environment may have caused the tarsier's death. 

 

"'Yung exposure niya sa stress, hindi [sa PAWB] nag-start. Nag-start siya nung tinanggal siya from the natural habitat niya," she said in a phone interview. PAWB has taken care of the tarsier since it was rescued from Manila Golf and Country Club last Friday.

 

"Sa stress pa lang, pwede na siya mamatay," Lim added, noting that they handled the tarsier with care so as not to cause stress.

 

The tarsier, which was being pursued by a squirrel before its rescue, had no signs of injury or bite marks, Lim noted. 

 

She added that the tarsier was still active and was able to eat before its death.

 

However, stress could lead to various health complications, Lim said.

 

"Ang stress nagma-manifest siya sa iba't ibang sakit like heart failure, or other physical condition na nagca-cause ng death," she said. 

 

Lim noticed, too, that the tarsier has lost weight and has rough fur. 

 

The PAWB is now doing a post-mortem on the tarsier, said Lim. 

 

Lim said they were very hopeful that the tarsier would still survive until Thursday, when she was scheduled to be shipped to a rehabilitation center in Bohol.

 

She hopes that the tarsier's death would serve as a reminder to the public not to remove endemic animals from their natural habitat. 

 

"We're hoping na this case would at least enlighten ang ating mga kababayan on how vulnerable tarsiers are, and that they should not be taken out of the wild," Lim said.

 

She added that the tarsier's death would motivate them further to continue the investigation.

 

"Lalo nating ipu-pursue 'yung investigation. Whoever took the tarsier out of the natural habitat would be accountable for these things," Lim said.

 

Tarsiers, which are not endemic to Metro Manila, can be found in the provinces of Samar, Bohol, Leyte, and also in Eastern Mindanao. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has identified the Philippine tarsier as a near-threatened species, with its population decreasing rapidly.

 

The Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001 only allows accredited individuals, businesses, and researchers to collect threatened wildlife, and only for scientific or breeding propagation purposes.

 

Those who inflict illegal acts on critically endangered species may be penalized with six to 12 years' imprisonment and a fine ranging from P100,000 to P1 million.

 

Meanwhile, importation or exportation of wildlife should be authorized by the environment secretary or a designated representative. —VC, GMA News