The tarsius, found only on the island of Sulawesi, is considered the world's smallest primate, roughly the size of a computer mouse. Easily spotted in the Lambusango forest on Buton Island, where it gathers in large trees and is active mainly at night, the species plays a vital role in the local ecosystem.
The Tarsius Celebes Indonesia Foundation began as a youth-led nature group on Buton Island before evolving into a conservation and environmental education organisation.
Taufik Dhani, head of the foundation, said the tarsius faces little threat from hunting, as locals don't eat it or keep it in captivity. Its biggest threat instead comes from deforestation and the growing spread of mining activity across the island.
There is currently no official data on the wild tarsius population or on its distribution across Sulawesi. Foreign tourists and researchers once travelled specifically to see the animal in the wild, often through programs like Operation Wallacea, but such visits have largely stopped in recent years.
The foundation, established in 2010, hopes to see the tarsius protected not just on Buton but across Sulawesi more broadly. As long as the forest remains intact, the tarsius, along with other rare species like endangered birds and the booted macaque, will continue to thrive alongside local communities, Dhani said.
