ILIGAN CITY — A rare juvenile Mindanao tarsier rescued in the forests of Marogong, Lanao del Sur has become a symbol of hope for biodiversity conservation efforts in the Bangsamoro Region.
On May 14, residents discovered the tiny nocturnal primate near a National Greening Program rehabilitation site in Barangay Diragun, finding it in a partially disturbed forest area threatened by agricultural expansion and human activity.
Residents immediately turned over the animal to Barangay Chairman Imran Benito, who coordinated with the Provincial Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy Office (PENREO) of Lanao del Sur for rescue and assessment.
Environmental workers described the discovery as a rare and encouraging sign that pockets of healthy biodiversity continue to survive in the forests of Lanao del Sur despite mounting environmental pressures.
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A joint assessment by Ecosystems Specialists Chief Forester Ameer Hussein Abbas Jr. and Chief Hindawi Abdulwahab found the tarsier alert and responsive.
The brown-colored primate measured about four inches long, with an eight-inch tail, and displayed normal climbing and jumping behavior.
The assessment team identified the animal as a juvenile male Mindanao tarsier, one of the country’s most elusive and delicate primates.
To improve its chances of survival, Community Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy Officer Ashawie Pangandaman recommended its immediate release into the wild.
On May 18, the rescue team returned the tarsier to the forested area of Palaw a Piyamanggoan within the Piyapayungan Mountain Range, where it disappeared back into the dense canopy.
Provincial Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy Officer Asmarie Labao said the rescue highlights the ecological importance of Lanao del Sur’s remaining forests.
“The appearance of the tarsier reminds us that our forests remain ecologically significant and must continue to be protected,” Labao said.
She also cited growing threats to wildlife habitats, including deforestation, climate change, and socio-political conflicts affecting environmentally critical areas.
PENREO Lanao del Sur has previously led several wildlife rescue efforts, including the rescue of the Philippine eagle locally known as “Bangsa Bae.”
Conservation workers are now considering the rescued tarsier as a possible symbol of the province’s hidden biodiversity, informally calling it the “Ranaw Tarsier” of the Bangsamoro Region.
The rescue team fondly named the tiny primate “Datu a Mangoda sa Kalasan,” or “The Charming Prince of the Forest,” symbolizing peace, hope, unity, and environmental stewardship.
For many residents and conservation workers, the tarsier’s brief appearance served as a reminder of the need to protect the forests and wildlife that continue to survive within them.
