Dian’s tarsier  (Tarsius dentatus)

Dian’s tarsier is still relatively abundant in central Sulawesi but population sizes are declining (4). Further more, the species is largely confined to the areas in and around the Lore Lindu National Park, and the park is considered essential for its continued survival (1). Thus, the species is classified on the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable (1). This tarsier is primarily threatened by loss, degradation and disturbance of its habitat. Although it appears that a limited amount of human disturbance can be tolerated, with the tarsier capable of adapting to traditional land uses such as small-scale agro-forestry, excessive disturbance seems to have a negative impact. In particular, logging activities pose the most serious danger, which not only clear potential sleeping sites but also open up the forest to other damaging forms of land use, such as cash-crop plantations, cattle farming or permanent human settlement. Unfortunately, growing human populations are placing enormous pressure on Sulawesi’s remaining forests, and pristine patches are becoming increasingly difficult to preserve (4).

Dian’s tarsier is protected within the Lore Lindu National Park, but there are currently no direct conservation measures targeting this species (1). It has been advocated that local governments and conservation groups should try to encourage landowners to use their land in less damaging ways, such as for small-scale agro-forestry, which Dian’s tarsier can inhabit. Since many farmers wrongly believe that tarsiers feed on cash-crops, an educational campaign should accompany this, promoting the species’ potential role as a natural predator of insects, and therefore a benefit to horticulturists. Minimising the use of chemical pesticides is also vital to the tarsier’s survival and relies on landowners’ cooperation. Other than this, it is important that efforts are made to maintain contiguous tracts of habitat and to safeguard potential sleeping sites if this tiny, mysterious primate is to remain in Sulawesi’s forests (4).