Tarsier rescued, released back to habitat in Kidapawan

KIDAPAWAN CITY — A tarsier accidentally rescued after it was trapped in a river here was successfully released back into its natural habitat on Monday afternoon, a village official said.

Bernard Jay Lumbayan, village chair of Paco, said personnel from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources brought back the primate to the place where it was rescued.

Lumbayan said a resident of Purok Mangga in Barangay Paco accidentally discovered the tarsier trapped at the branches of a tree floating in the river.

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READ: More tarsiers spotted outside safe zones – UP study

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Danny Cimafranca, who rescued the primate, said he was at the riverside Sunday night to look for bakbak (edible frog), which he sells in the market at 200 per kilogram, when he saw the tarsier clinging to the branches while stuck in river stones.

He immediately saved the tarsier, brought it to the village hall, and placed it inside a small cage.

Cimafranca said the primate is in good condition and has never had any bruises.

Ervin Pitogo, a student and wildlife volunteer of the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) in Kabacan town, believed that the primate inhabited the forested area where it was rescued.

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He said this was new to wildlife rescuers since the same animals had also been rescued in other towns of Cotabato, particularly in Mlang and Magpet, a few years back.

Pitogo said that Kidapawan City, the capital of Cotabato province, remains a habitat for some endangered or threatened species, considering its climate and the protected areas.

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READ: In a growing city, tarsiers still cling to Tacloban’s forest patches

The Philippine tarsier is assessed as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Last week, a farmer tending goats near a farm in Barangay San Isidro here also accidentally discovered a baby Philippine crocodile.

It was also rescued and is temporarily in the custody of USM Kabacan, waiting for release back to its natural habitat.

Mayor Paolo Evangelista urged constituents not to harm animals if they chanced upon them roaming in their community.

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He noted that Project Canopy ’25, which aimed to plant 3.5 million trees in Kidapawan, will be helpful in preserving threatened or endangered species.