Tarsius sangirensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	PRIMATES	TARSIIDAE

Scientific Name:

Tarsius sangirensis

Species Authority:

Meyer, 1897

Common Name/s:

English

–

Sangihe Tarsier, Sagihe Isalnd Tarsier

Taxonomic Notes:

The population living on Siau Island is to be elevated as a separate species (Shekelle et al. in press).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B1ab(ii,iii) ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Shekelle, M. & Salim, A.

Evaluator/s:

Mittermeier, R.A. & Rylands, A.B. (Primate Red List Authority)

Justification:
The species is considered Endangered; however, this assessment will need to be revisited once the species is separated into two species. The species' extent of occurrence is approximately 700 km² and it is in continued decline of area of occupancy and available habitat.

History:

2000	–	Data Deficient
1996	–	Data Deficient

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is currently recorded as being found on Sangihe island, north of Sulawesi, Indonesia (Riley 2002).
Countries:	Native: Indonesia (Sulawesi)
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	M. Shekelle and A. Salim (pers. comm.) estimate the population size to be between 1,505 and 52,734 individuals, the very wide range being a result of uncertainty in the suitability of “brush” habitat for sustainable tarsier populations. Without including “brush,” the population size estimate is only 1,505-2,795 individuals. Riley (2002) estimated population size as 9,000-15,600, but those numbers drop to 300-500 if secondary habitat is excluded. Riley did not address the issue that, while tarsiers are recorded in secondary habitats, these might not support sustainable populations. Thus, the conclusions of both studies are similar; viable population size might be very small indeed, unless populations in suboptimal habitats are “sources” and not “sinks.”
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

M. Shekelle and A. Salim (pers. comm.) estimate the population size to be between 1,505 and 52,734 individuals, the very wide range being a result of uncertainty in the suitability of “brush” habitat for sustainable tarsier populations. Without including “brush,” the population size estimate is only 1,505-2,795 individuals. Riley (2002) estimated population size as 9,000-15,600, but those numbers drop to 300-500 if secondary habitat is excluded. Riley did not address the issue that, while tarsiers are recorded in secondary habitats, these might not support sustainable populations. Thus, the conclusions of both studies are similar; viable population size might be very small indeed, unless populations in suboptimal habitats are “sources” and not “sinks.”

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This population has not been studied systematically in the wild, but was surveyed by M. Shekelle and associates (Shekelle et al. 1997; Shekelle 2003), and Riley (2002). Riley remarked that T. sangirensis has a preference for primary forest, but may occur in secondary habitats including sago swamps, scrub, nutmeg plantations, coconut plantations, and secondary forest growth. These results are similar to those of Shekelle and associates, except that Shekelle did not encounter any tarsiers in primary forest.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This population has not been studied systematically in the wild, but was surveyed by M. Shekelle and associates (Shekelle et al. 1997; Shekelle 2003), and Riley (2002). Riley remarked that T. sangirensis has a preference for primary forest, but may occur in secondary habitats including sago swamps, scrub, nutmeg plantations, coconut plantations, and secondary forest growth. These results are similar to those of Shekelle and associates, except that Shekelle did not encounter any tarsiers in primary forest.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	M. Shekelle and A. Salim (pers. comm.) argue that the chief threat to tarsiers on Sangihe Island is habitat loss, while Riley (2002) did not think that habitat loss was a major threat, given their presence in a variety of secondary habitats. This discrepancy once again points out the need to determine the suitability of secondary habitats for sustainable tarsier populations.

Major Threat(s):

M. Shekelle and A. Salim (pers. comm.) argue that the chief threat to tarsiers on Sangihe Island is habitat loss, while Riley (2002) did not think that habitat loss was a major threat, given their presence in a variety of secondary habitats. This discrepancy once again points out the need to determine the suitability of secondary habitats for sustainable tarsier populations.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The taxon has been protected by national law since 1931, and is listed as CITES Appendix II. Two conservation initiatives begun in 2002 are serving to establish management systems on this archipelago and to educate its people on the environmental and conservation problems the islands face, including forest management and hunting issues (Riley 2002).

Conservation Actions:

The taxon has been protected by national law since 1931, and is listed as CITES Appendix II. Two conservation initiatives begun in 2002 are serving to establish management systems on this archipelago and to educate its people on the environmental and conservation problems the islands face, including forest management and hunting issues (Riley 2002).

Citation:	Shekelle, M. & Salim, A. 2008. Tarsius sangirensis. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 November 2009.
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