MANILA - With their huge eyes and bodies small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, Philippine tarsiers are among the best-known inhabitants of the country's tropical forests.
The tiny nocturnal primates are closely associated with the central island of Bohol, a popular tourist destination, but researchers have found evidence that their range is far more extensive than previously documented.
A study by researchers at the University of the Philippines Diliman found reports of Philippine tarsiers in 29 provinces, more than double the 14 provinces previously identified as habitats by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The findings were based largely on an unlikely source -- Facebook.
Graduate student Simeon Bejar, 30, and fellow researcher Maria Tabeta, 25, examined more than 1,000 Facebook posts dating back to 2006, gathering information on tarsier sightings and analyzing where photographs of the animals had been posted.
The IUCN had previously identified tarsier habitats in just 14 of the Philippines' 82 provinces.
They also found numerous sightings in northern Leyte and indications that forests there may have tarsier population densities comparable to those in protected areas on Bohol.
"I think it's really appropriate to do it here because a lot of Filipinos use Facebook," Bejar said.
More than 80 percent of the Philippine population is estimated to use Facebook, giving the researchers a vast pool of information posted by people across the archipelago of more than 7,000 islands.
The Philippine tarsier, an endemic species measuring little more than 10 centimeters in body length, is difficult to find because of its small size and nocturnal habits. Much about its ecology remains unknown.
It is classified as "Near Threatened" on the IUCN Red List.
The study also highlighted shortcomings in efforts to protect the animals.
On Bohol, where ecotourism is a major attraction, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and local authorities have stepped up management of forests inhabited by tarsiers.
Protected areas open to tourists have also introduced rules aimed at minimizing stress on the animals, including asking visitors to keep their voices down.
But the researchers found signs of problems elsewhere.
"Some of the Facebook posts featured photographs of tarsiers being inside cages, which is illegal. Some are leashed...some were dead," Bejar said.
Illegal trafficking for the pet trade is one of the main threats facing Philippine tarsiers, and poaching appears to be taking place in areas beyond the reach of authorities.
Bejar and Tabeta have set up a dedicated Facebook page for their research and hope to expand the scale of the study.
"If maybe we get another student who can work with us or a project where we can use funds to focus on this, then we'll try to scale up what we are doing right now," Bejar said.
