DENR to investigate vloggers in viral video of 'improper treatment' of tarsiers
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is investigating a disturbing viral video showing the improper treatment of a Philippine Tarsier.
On April 8, the agency received reports of a disturbing video by a vlogger named Ryan Parreño, known as "Farm Boy," from Polomolok, South Cotabato.
In the now-deleted video that went viral on social media, Parreño can be seen picking up a tarsier and laughing with another individual while asking the animal to smile for the camera.
"Smile, baby, smile," Parreño said.
DENR said in a statement that it has begun a probe into the incident and that the two tarsiers featured in the video were released into the wild.
"The Department has already conducted an investigation into the matter and discovered that the two tarsiers featured in the video were released into the wild by the vlogger. However, the agency is still looking for further actions to be taken on the wildlife incident," it wrote.
Social media users react
Another video reposted by a user named Dr. Richard and Erika Mata on Facebook showed the vlogger reasoning that they were transferring the tarsiers to a wildlife area since the animals were in a community zone.
"Sabi nung vlogger pumunta na raw ang DENR. Pinatawag siya. Sabi niya, ok lang daw sabi ng DENR kasi 'di naman daw capture, pinakawalan naman daw ang Tarsier."
However, users expressed outrage over how the vloggers used the tarsiers for "content" and online reactions.
"Ignorance of the law excuses no one," a Facebook user wrote.
"Kilala na naman pala bakit hindi kinasuhan[?] kung ni-rescue dapat nilagay agad sa cage at if for documentation purposes hindi maganda," another social media commented.
"Kapag ito hindi kinasuhan ng DENR Soccsksargen, gagayahin na 'to ng ibang mga tao, na pwede naman pala hawakan at paglaruan mga tarsiers as long as ibabalik din sa wild."
'A form of maltreatment'
Speaking to PhilSTAR L!fe, Atty. Grizelda Gerthie Mayo-Anda, an environmental lawyer and the Founding Executive Director of the Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC), said that "the tarsier was disturbed" and that what the farm boy did was a form of "maltreatment."
"Such 'handling' can be considered a form of maltreatment which is prohibited under the Philippine Wildlife Act. Many Filipinos are still unaware of how to behave towards wildlife and need to be enlightened about the science and law in relation to wildlife," she told L!fe.
"Relevant government agencies in the area should deal with this issue ASAP so this incident will no longer be repeated," she added.
The environment lawyer continued by stressing that tarsiers are dwindling in number due to deforestation and how people have handled the animals.
"They have been treated as pets by some people. While there have been efforts to conserve the endangered tarsier, we need to enhance these efforts through, among others, social media, particularly, on how to behave towards wildlife."
Tarsiers' sensitive nature
In 2016, wildlife conservationist Carlito Pizarras, a.k.a. "Tarsier Man" talked to Agence France Presse about how sensitive these small animals are to daylight, noise, and human contact as these can cause anxiety.
"They don't breathe and slowly die. If you put them in a cage they want to go out. That's why they bump their heads on the cage, and it will crack because the cranium is so thin," Tarsier Man told AFP.
Meanwhile, Endangered Species International said that wild tarsiers when captured only show a 50% rate of survival and in many cases, they die quickly of overstress by committing "suicide."
Specially Protected Faunal Species of the Philippines
The second-smallest primate in the world, Philippine tarsiers, also known as Mawumag in Cebuano, are palm-sized animals ranging from 8.5 to 16 cm. They are usually found in the southeastern provinces of the Philippines, such as Bohol, Leyte, Samar, and Mindanao.
According to Administrative Order No. 2019, tarsiers were listed as "Other Threatened Species" or OTS. This means that these species are not critically endangered, endangered nor vulnerable but are under threat from over-collection and are likely to be moved to the vulnerable category in the near future."
Likewise, Proclamation No. 1030, s. 1997, by then-president Fidel V. Ramos declared the Philippine Tarsier a Specially Protected Faunal Species of the Philippines. Hence, hunting, killing, wounding, and taking away or possession of the animal and destroying its habitats are prohibited by law.
Moreover, Republic Act No. 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, echoed this proclamation, saying that transporting wildlife, maltreatment, and/or inflicting injuries on animals are considered illegal acts.
People caught doing the mentioned act will be punishable by imprisonment of 10 days to one month and a fine of P1,000 to P5,000 if the species is listed as "other threatened species (OTS)."