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Tarsier

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The Tarsier is one of the world's smallest primates with an adult about the size of a human fist. It is not a monkey, and has some unique characteristics. Its eyes cannot swivel in their sockets so it always looks straight ahead but its head can swivel 180 degrees. The eyes are extremely large and provide excellent night vision. It eats insects, spiders, small lizards and birds as it forages at night in trees and bushes. It is named for the long leg bone which enables it to leap at least three meters from tree to tree. We saw several tarsiers at a sanctuary where people are trying to save them from extinction. They have existed in rainforests around the world for 45 million years, but are now found on only a few islands.