Fun Spectral Tarsier Facts For Kids

A spectral tarsier (Tarsius spectrum) or Tarsius tarsier (as it is commonly named) is one of the tiniest members of the family of primates. This nocturnal creature has similar characteristics to both a lemur as well as an ape. A Tarsius tarsier lives in the Indonesian Islands' tropical rainforests named Selayar and is the closest relative of the Sulawesi tarsiers in southeast Asia.

They are gray in color with a round body that is covered with soft grayish fur. Tarsiers have large ears and long fingers and tows; they also have large bulging eyes that are specialized for nocturnal visions. A spectral tarsier (Tarsius spectrum) has a bodyweight of about 0.22-0.4 lb (102-200 g), and the length of their body ranges between 7.9-10.2 in (20-26 cm). They have long tails that are almost the same size in length when compared to their body with a head-tail length that has a range of about 11.6-15.7 in (29.5-40 cm). However, factors like habitat loss and hunting have critically lowered their population, marking them as vulnerable on the IUCN red list of animals.

Familiar creatures such as the black lemur and mongoose lemur can also be checked for fascinating new information.