The upsetting video that went viral on April 10, 2024, involving a vlogger mistreating Philippine Tarsiers, enraged netizens and prompted environmental personnel to investigate the incident and take appropriate actions against the responsible individuals.


The Philippine Tarsier is among the oldest terrestrial species that have existed continuously in the Philippines for 45 million years, but their population is decreasing due to several humaninduced factors. The IUCN Red List now categorizes Tarsiers as a Near Threatened species. Therefore, the Philippine government now proposes more tightened conservation and protection programs.


These small primates are nocturnal, normally sleeping during the day and active only at night, which might also explain why they are highly sensitive to light, noise, and human touch. Tarsiers are shy, nervous, and have suicidal tendencies. That's why they can't be taken out of their natural habitat to be kept as pets, as they cannot survive. If they are caged and stressed, they may commit suicide by banging their heads against hard objects until they die.


When the vlogger and the other individual took the video, it was daytime. Those two little creatures were probably peacefully sleeping while clinging to a tree. The stress was apparent in the tarsiers as the two individuals were touching them. Such disturbing and stressinducing acts are considered unlawful.