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8 of the smallest animals of their kind

Philippine tarsier

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Philippine tarsier

The Philippine tarsier, or Tarsius syrichta, is a nocturnal species with a unique neck. Because the tarsier cannot move its eyes, it has special vertebrae to allow it to turn its neck 180 degrees. It is considered one of the smallest known primates and is around the size of a man’s hand. Some scientists believe the animal to be closely related to the lemur, while others believe it is more closely related to apes and monkeys. It lives on the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol and Mindanao in the Philippines, and is endangered.