Linan is a small village (Barangay) near the town of Tupi in the South Cotabato region of the Philippines. It is on the large island in the south of the Philippines chain known as Mindanao and under the volcano of Mount Matutum.
Here there is a new project involving the Tarsier. Although there has been rumour of Tarsiers present on the island of Mindanao, there has never been much evidence. However a small indigenous peoples in Linan regularly trapped them for food and to sell to others. The local Tupi town government heard about this and found a trapped Tarsier in a cage, confirming their presence on the mountain side.
Endangers Species International became involved, working with the Tupi Officials and the indigenous peoples in 2011. This page shows some of the work that they are doing:
The government of South Cotabato and the Town Municipality of Tupi have supported a research and conservation project being carried out by Endangered Species International (ESI). The project is to look at the environment of the Tarsiers in the vicinity of Linan and to protect the existing habitat and populations of the Tarsier. to extend the habitat and to provide a sustainable living for the local peoples away from the hunting Tarsiers and the deforestation of their habitat to create farming space. To do this the organisation is working with the local B'laan indigenous people helping them understand the need to retain Tarsiers in the area and training them to assist the project.
At the moment the project is helping to release any Tarsiers that are found in captivity in the area, planting new trees to re-forest much of the area illegally cleared of trees and establishing the area on the mount Matutum – an extinct classic cone shaped volcano – where the Tarsiers live.
It is hoped that in the future ESI will support the establishment of a visitor centre and a farm run by the local indigenous people (the B'laan) to support their hamlet of families.
Endangered Species International has been busy planting trees and working with the indigenous people. They have also found and released more Tarsiers putting these through a rehabilitation process.
In the first three months on 2012, they have:
- An organic training 2 day session with 15 local B'laan peoples and wild mushroom growing
- Training for 40 B'laan females on the production of toy Tarsiers for the Tourist industry
- The placement of interpreative signs
- The planting of 400 trees in one week in February!
- Native Tree Nursery established in March
- Several Tarsiers found in capativity and released through ESI's rehabilitation centre
- The commencement of building a museum on the cultural history of the B'laan peoples and the re-introduction of centuries old traditions
Pierre says "Tarsiers live in secondary and primary forests, so if there is no forest, they are gone. Our project is located in an area that used to be covered by giant trees and we are planting trees in open areas (like grasslands) and where some canopy already exists. The goal is to increase natural forest coverage to avoid erosion and landslides and to bring back biodiversity,”
Trees being planted include nabol, (Elaeocarpus gigantifolius), Philippine teak (Tectona philippinensis), white lauan (Shorea contorta), molave (Vitex parviflora) and narra (Pterocarpus indicus).
Interprative Signs
ESI Field House in the B'laan Tarsier being rehabilited
