Head to head
Horsfield's Tarsier vs Philippine Tarsier
Horsfield's Tarsier
VS Philippine Tarsier
Horsfield's tarsier and the Philippine tarsier are both nocturnal tarsiers with enormous fixed eyes, flexible necks, and a diet of live prey, living on different islands of Southeast Asia.
| Horsfield's Tarsier | Philippine Tarsier | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Cephalopachus bancanus | Carlito syrichta |
| Eyes | Each eye is about the size of its brain, and the eyes cannot move in their sockets | Each eye is larger by volume than its own brain, and the eyes are fixed in their sockets |
| Head | Rotates its head almost 180 degrees in each direction to look behind it | Rotates its head nearly 180 degrees in each direction |
| Diet | Carnivore, eating insects and small vertebrates such as lizards and birds | Carnivore feeding exclusively on live prey, mainly insects, with occasional lizards and birds |
| Leaping | Leaps between trees and onto prey on long hind legs | Leaps remarkable distances, powered by greatly elongated ankle bones |
| Range | Lowland forest on Borneo, Sumatra, and nearby islands | Rainforest and forest across parts of the southern Philippines |
| Captivity | Does poorly in captivity | Highly sensitive to stress, and captive animals have injured themselves or died from stress-related causes |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable, with a decreasing population | Near Threatened, with a decreasing population |
Horsfield's Tarsier vs Philippine Tarsier: common questions
How big are tarsiers' eyes?
Each eye is about the size of the animal's brain, and the eyes cannot move in their sockets.
How do tarsiers look around?
They rotate their heads almost 180 degrees in each direction, since their huge eyes are fixed in place.
Where do Horsfield's and Philippine tarsiers live?
Horsfield's tarsier lives in lowland forest on Borneo, Sumatra, and nearby islands, while the Philippine tarsier lives in forest in the southern Philippines.