📌 How To Go To Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary ,Corella, Bohol To Witness The Smallest Monkey in the World?

With the mission of  establish a forest reserve in the island of Bohol which shall serve as the sanctuary of the Philippine tarsier; to protect and manage the tarsier sanctuary through the active participation of local communities; to establish and preserve a wildlife research laboratory for the study of the ecology and biology of the Philippine tarsier; to establish and uphold visitor facilities for ecotourism and disseminate information material about the Philippine tarsier with emphasis on the species' protection and conservation , The Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Incorporated (PTFI) was established  in 1996.

The said non profit, Non-stock Corporation is based in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines, but the sanctuary itself is located in the Municipality of Corella. It is being supported by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) eve if it is run by a private sector.  You can visit the 8.4-hectare (20.7-acre) sanctuary or forest reservation in Corella but the viewing area that can be accessible to all tourists is just one hectare wherein you have to pay for an entrance fee of PHP60 (as of May 2018).

Once you visit, you can expect a reception and souvenir counter, an exhibit area, an audio-visual room, restrooms, and administration offices. Outside is a lounge deck, and nearby a parking lot and you can also see few signages that give you some trivia about tarsier e.g. “Tarsier can only have one baby per year”,  “Tarsier cannot survive in a cage”, and “Tarsier s commit suicide once get stressed due to noise pollution”.



Moving inside the “viewing 10 hectare forest”, you will experience such “green feeling” which visually relaxing seeing those trees and shrubs. The visitor’s guide will then approach you and brings you to where the tarsiers can be viewed. They‘re hiding on the branches of the woody grasses which is unfortunately – it is really difficult to obtain a perfect shot for Instagram. It was actually my first time to visit the place but I already touched and took a picture with a living tarsier way back 2013 in Sagbayan Peak (unfortunately as of May 2018 it is no longer available).


Unlike in Sagbayan Peak back then, tarsiers were confined in a huge cage that gave the feeling of the animals living in the wild forest. But in Corella, the tarsiers are living freely in their natural habitat.



How to go to Corella, Bohol?

Going there is so easy, though I went there via private car but nothing to worry about, it is very accessible.

Via Public Transport:

From Seaport or Airport get into a tricycle and tell driver to take you to Sikatuna Jeepney Terminal (This is right infront of Island City Mall). Fare is P100.00 per tricycle.

From Sikatuna Jeepney Terminal, get into a Jeepney bound to Sikatuna via Corella. (Just anybody there which jeepney passes by Philippine Tarsier Foundation. )This jeepney drops you off to Philippine Tarsier Foundation. Fare is P17.00. Tell the driver of the jeepney that you are headed to Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella.

Upon arrival there is a huge signage and rough road, take it and walk for 300 meters to the Research Building where you will pay P60.00 entrance fee and have a guide to show you around the sanctuary and where to see the tarsiers.

Going Back, just take a jeepney headed to Tagbilaran. And yes it is safe to hitch hike here. Fare is P15.00 for jeepney.

Via Tricycle:

From Airport or seaport or anywhere in Tagbilaran City, take a tricycle and ask driver to take you to Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella One way is P150 per tricycle, round trip is P500 when driver waits for you.
Via Car:

Make sure to contact a trusted travel agency. Tell them to take you to Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella. Fare is P500 per car and P1,000 round trip from Tagbilaran City.

Via Habal Habal

You can look for a Habal Habal in Dao Terminal; fare is within PHP400-500

Daks and Gams Wildlife Park in Bohol.

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Watch the Video Below

Flying Lemur

The said, zoo is famous of its distinctive animal the so called Kagwang. Kagwang is a Visayan term for Philippines Flying Lemur. This endangered Kagwang or Philippine Flying Lemur (Cynocephalus volans) can be found in the wilderness of Bohol, Samar, Leyte and some parts of Mindanao. Although called a flying lemur, it cannot fly and is not a lemur. The Philippine flying lemur is arboreal and usually resides in primary and secondary forests. However, some wander into coconut, banana, and rubber plantations. It is also a nocturnal animal and it looks like a half bat half rat.

Aside from Kagwang, Daks and Gams is popular to its Pawikan, where-in you can touch it while the Pawikans are in the pond.  Pawikan or simply Sea turtle are abundant in Bohol but endangered Species. Sea turtles or marine turtles are turtles that inhabit all of the world's oceans except the Arctic. But Bohol is very blesses because Bohol is most preferred habitat of the said specie.

Large ostriches are also available for viewing inside. Wildcats are one of the attractions also. Snake and Eagles are also stunning animals that will surely captured your attention.

Advertisement by Google: All dead animals were stuffed and preserved so that the visitors can still witness on what animals they used to have. Stuffed monkeys, frogs, wildcats, snakes and bird are displayed in one specific dry area.

Aside, from animals Daks and Gams are also offering botanical garden for ocular. Abundance of orchids is nurtured and ornamental plants. You can also buy if you want.

Orchids

The first time I went in this park, when I was in grade six as part of the Field trip. The latest time was just year 2010 and it was very different, entrance fee is php 20 only per person. When I entered, it seems that the place was not maintained well, there were cobwebs in the cages of the animals. The surrounding is not that clean compared to the first time I visit the place. Perhaps due to the numbers of zoo in Bohol are now operating, “Daks and Gams”

Pawikan

Wild cat

I kissed the Smallest Monkey in The World the so called Tarsier

Tarsiers are primates (a group including lemurs, monkeys, apes and humans) found in the Province Bohol, Tarsiers are arboreal (tree living) and jump through the trees to catch their food, which is mainly insect based, although can include lizards, snakes and birds. Tarsiers are small with very large eyes, elongated hind legs and feet, a thin tail and long fingers. They are nocturnal (active at night) although some species may move around in the daytime...

Tarsiers are born with fur and their eyes open and can climb trees within an hour of birth. The smell of tarsier is like a guinea pig. Tarsier species are now endangered or threatened so Bohol Provincial Government.

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Many asked if can we have a tarsier as a pet, the answer is no, Tarsiers which are caught and kept in captivity only show around a 50% rate of survival and in many cases they die quickly of overstress by committing “suicide”. Yes! Suicide , usually they use their tail to kill themselves.

WATCH VIDEO

Tarsiers are very shy animals that prefer to stay away from human contact but fortunately I was able to touch it, took pictures and kiss it personally. Tarsiers do not live well in captivity but in Bohol in Municipality of Sagbayan , Bohol, a large tarsier Sanctuary was built to provides shelter of the said animal. The sanctuary is built right at the entrance of Sagbayan Peak. Tourists are able to witness how the smallest monkey looks like before they proceed to the Peak. The sanctuary is free for viewing and donation is only the source of maintenance aside from Government subsidy.

They have specific feeding requirements which are difficult to meet and rarely successfully breed that are why tarsier is inhabitants in most of the forests in Bohol, in Municipality Cortes to be specific. But in Cortes, a sanctuary of tarsier is also built for tourist, and within the proximity innumerable stores of tarsier figures. Shirts and stuffs are available for sale.

Undeniably, kissing a tarsier during my Bohol travel is one of a kind experience. “Ang sarap nyang iuwi sa manila kung pwede lang”

Crocodiles : Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center , Puerto Princesa?

“ Walang Buwayang Nagkakape sa Palawan, Buwayang Totoo Meron.”

Adult Croco

Skin of Crocodile

Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center were established aiming for further research towards endangered species like crocodiles. The Building structure is also a Hospital for sick and disabled crocodiles. In connivance of Department of Environment and Natural Resources Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (DENR-PAWB 0and Palawan Local Government, they also maintained a micro-zoo with some of Palawan’s indigenous animals. The Zoo’s visiting hours are from 1:30pm-5:00pm and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 nn, and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Saturdays. Feeding time is every Monday and Thursday afternoon.

The Research Institute is located in National Road, Barangay Irawan, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan which is 30-40 minutes travel from the city proper. One can take a tricycle and get off at Barangay Irawan where the crocodile farm is located. A Jeepney could be hired to get to the place. But if you’re on a City Tour Package, no need to worry coz that is part of the destination.

As you proceed, you will see a signage of the “Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center”. Behind it, is a pond for the Park with a water tank.

At first, you thought that you are in a school for enrollment, the queue, the Tourists, the children and the facilitator, it will reminds you of school enrollment scenario .Kidding aside, A man with a microphone will start to introduce the place, at the lobby where the introduction conducted, a skeleton of a huge sea water crocodile is encased in a glass chest. Adjacent to it is the wall with crocodile’s skin hanged. As per the man with a microphone; this crocodile was caught somewhere in island and was killed after it devoured a child. This remains of the crocodile showcases how big salt water crocodiles can grow. The Skin hanged on the wall can’t be sold anymore due to its oldness. Near of it is a skeleton of a Sperm Whale is also displayed, the skeleton was retrieved from a dead whale found on the shores of Puerto Princesa. Fossils also displayed in a small museum.

Baby Croco

Meanwhile,  as soon as you are done on the lobby, you are going to proceed at the Crocodile Hatching House, there crocodiles are taken cared by the conservation center and are segregated into different levels of maturity from egg to a few months old. You are allowed to pass at the area where in you can see upclose the baby Crocodile. However you are not allowed to extend you body parts into the basins where the baby Crocodiles were nurtured.
 Moreover, your Travel Tour is not complete with seeing the Adult one Next on the line is the Building for the Adult Crocodiles. Above the crocodile den is a metal path walk where guests may walk over the dens to the other end. The den is divided into sections where some sections contain the huge salt water crocodiles that are already growing moss on their backs. Then, there are two larger sections that contain dozens of smaller adult crocodiles.
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There are pens for ostriches, cages for Philippine cockatoos and bearcats that are also available for viewing; those are the Palawan’s endemic animals that are rescued and conserved.

Visitors are also treated to an opportunity to have pictures taken with the baby crocodiles that the center is conserving which is amounting to PHP50 and if you’re going to ask a hard copy then you will need to pay PHP150. So I advise you to bring your own Camera.

Just a Heads up, if you’re going to take a picture with the bearcat another PHP50 is needed, I recommend you to take picture of it coz the bearcat is very cute, and you can hug it or place it on your neck during picture. Watta cute remembrance, right?

As you completely finish the entire Croco tour, you’ll realize how rich the palaweños are, because they really value of what they ha. Unlike us, we will only realize the value of a thing when it’s lost at all.