Bohol adventure

As a part of our current project activities we work on establishing of a breeding centre as a first centre focusing on conservation and research tarsier in the scientific way. It will serve as a basis for establishing a viable captive population of the Philippine tarsier. The area where the centre will be located was purchased by Bohol Habitat Conservation Centre (find more) and the previous farmland slowly turns into our conservation field station. The main steps towards our goal are preparation of the tarsier enclosure that needs to be build and well planted with local plants and ensuring the food supply, therefore we learn how to breed a variety of local insects, before we can get tarsiers.

We are very happy and gratelful that we found Sara Garau who volunteered for us for 9 month. She did an amzing job! How did she like it?

I have been back home in Italy for few months now, and if I think about the 9 months I spent in Bohol I can’t help picturing them like a videogame. No, I don’t play videogames, at least not those which require a console, but I feel like I’ve been inside one. With difficulties and challenges to overcome, but also with so many rewards and bloating self-esteem.

So it went like this…

Level 1 : Habitat

Get used to rain, mud, dirt, floods, weird and most likely poisonous animals crawling around, plants with razor sharp leaves, and toads and crickets that can be way louder than a really busy highway, but a lot more pleasant too.

Level 2: Tarsiers

Here they are, the reason why I came all the way to this island, these tiny animals. You’ll learn that smelling and hearing them is way easier than finding them in the forest. And once you find them you’ll have about 1 minute rest before they jump so far you’ll lose track of them and have to start the quest all over again.

Level 3: People

Cultural crashes, misunderstandings, misunderstandings and more misunderstandings.

Level 4: Work

Struggle to find a way to breed all those insect that serve as tarsier food. Go completely mad when you find out that rats, or ants, or lizards, or too much moisture, or too much dryness got into the containers and your livestock is basically gone. Breathe deep and start all over again.

Level 5: Western world cravings.

At some point it is going to happen. At some point you will dream of cheese and pizza, a hot shower, a reliable power system, nice roads and buses without hundreds of people crammed together among quite a bit of live chickens. At some point these things will seem as exotic as a tropical beach with palm trees and piña coladas while it’s freezing cold and you’ve just lost the last metro home.

Bonus level: Typhoons, earthquakes, nasty infections and dog bites.

Overcome this almost uninjured (just some scars to remind me of those funny times) and then… you win!!

So what did win?? An amazing experience that gave me insights into a whole new different way of life. For 9 months I’ve been surrounded by wonderful people with a permanent smile on their faces. And their happiness is crazy contagious. They taught me that no matter how many times life tests your patience, or your strength, or your faith, or your beliefs, your willingness, there is always a way out, a way to pass the level, a way to win.

I am so glad I had the opportunity to live it all. Thank you so much to all the people that made this possible.

Thank you Sara!  

Would you like to join our actvities? Send your CV and letter of interest on tarsiusproject@gmail.com