Species literacy on the Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta) in Biliran, Philippines.

The Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta) is a small non-human primate endemic to the Greater Mindanao Faunal Region of the Philippines. It is classified as a specially protected faunal species under national wildlife conservation laws. However, studies on local communities' knowledge and understanding of the Philippine tarsier remain limited. Gaining insights into the scope and nature of this local knowledge is essential for improving public perceptions and attitudes toward the species' cultural and wildlife values. To address this gap, an in-person household survey was conducted from March to April 2023 in Biliran, Philippines, to assess species literacy among 420 residents, focusing on both broad and specific knowledge of the Philippine tarsier using photo identification and a 10-item True or False test. The findings revealed that while the respondents were generally familiar with the species, they demonstrated only a moderate level of specific knowledge and limited awareness of its natural presence on the island. Among the sociodemographic variables, age, educational attainment, years of formal education, and residence location and duration showed significant association with knowledge level, while education level and years of education showed a significant increasing trend with species familiarity. Widespread misconceptions were identified regarding the Philippine tarsier's feeding habits (beliefs that it consumes fruits and charcoal), natural distribution (the belief that it is found only in Bohol), and self-injurious behavior (the myth that it commits suicide). Through targeted information campaigns, correcting these inaccuracies is vital to strengthening local knowledge, which, in turn, can help promote the proper treatment of the species and foster more informed attitudes and stronger support for the conservation of the Philippine tarsier and its habitat.