Chris Cantell Discusses Science: Pygmy tarsier rediscovered in Indonesia by Zuzana Zelenakova

Large eyes, head-body length of 95 to 105 mm, fur and tail. That is the general description of so called pygmy tarsier. It may sound like we are talking about some cute animated movie creature, but this nocturnal primate is real enough. Pygmy tarsiers were long thought extinct because they were not seen in more than 70 years. However, in 2000, Indonesian scientists accidentally killed one of them while trapping rats. First pygmy tarsiers were seen alive in August 2008 by an expedition from Texas A&M University in Lore Lindu national Park. The expedition led by a researcher Sharon Gursky-Doyen trapped two males and a female and were radio collared to track their movements. "I have the dubious honor of being the only person in the world to have been bitten by [a pygmy tarsier]," Gursky-Doyen told LiveScience. "My field assistant was holding the tarsier and I was attaching a radio collar around its neck and while I was attaching the radio collar he bit me [on the finger]." It seems the leading researcher forgot that these creatures are able to turn their heads 180 degrees. The aim of the tracking device is to learn more about the animals' behavior and everyday habits. Gursky-Doyen and her co-workers set about 276 mist nets on the slopes of Mount Rore Katimbo to capture the three pygmy tarsiers. Pygmy tarsiers live in pairs remaining together for up to 15 months having two breeding seasons. They spend most of the day sleeping in hollowed-out trees. Compared to the other tarsiers the pygmy tarsiers don't seem to mark their territory with musky scent or to call to each other. "How are pygmy tarsiers communicating with one another if they're not doing it through vocalizations or scent marking?" Gursky-Doyen asked. There are yet many questions to be answered about these creatures.


related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20081118/sc_livescience/gremlinsthoughtextinctfoundafter85years;_ylt=AkYXFCnyOsGCwpXjVyyIL2Os0NUE

by Zuzana Zelenakova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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