Mammals
Horsfield's Tarsier
Cephalopachus bancanus · also called western tarsier, Bornean tarsier
Clinging to a thin trunk in a Bornean forest at night, Horsfield’s tarsier swivels its head almost right around, enormous eyes fixed on a beetle, then leaps.
Overview
Horsfield’s tarsier, Cephalopachus bancanus, is a Vulnerable primate of lowland forests on Borneo, Sumatra, and nearby islands. Its enormous eyes, flexible neck, and ambush leaps make it one of the most remarkable nocturnal hunters among primates.
A hunter with fixed eyes
Because a tarsier’s huge eyes cannot move, it turns its whole head instead, an unusual solution that lets it watch for prey in every direction.
Status
Vulnerable, with a decreasing population.
Horsfield's Tarsier: common questions
How big are Horsfield's tarsier's eyes?
Each eye is about the size of its brain, and the eyes cannot move in their sockets.
Why can Horsfield's tarsier turn its head so far?
Its eyes are fixed in place, so it rotates its head almost 180 degrees in each direction to look around.
What does Horsfield's tarsier eat?
It is a carnivore that eats insects and small vertebrates such as lizards and birds.
Where is Horsfield's tarsier found?
It lives in lowland forest on Borneo, Sumatra, and nearby islands.