Wazzup Pilipinas!?
In an era where selfies and viral challenges dominate our feeds, who would have thought that scrolling through Facebook could help save a species?
In a groundbreaking study that redefines the boundaries of citizen science, researchers from the University of the Philippines – Diliman (UPD) have unlocked an unexpected conservation goldmine from an unlikely source: Facebook. By scouring public and group posts from as far back as 2006, biologists Maria Sabrina Tabeta and Simeon Gabriel Bejar of the UPD College of Science’s Institute of Biology have shed unprecedented light on one of the Philippines’ most elusive and enigmatic creatures—the Philippine tarsier.
Despite being a beloved symbol of the country’s rich biodiversity, the Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta) remains a mystery in many ways. Traditional studies have struggled to keep pace with the primate’s cryptic nature, nocturnal habits, and ever-shrinking forest habitats. But thanks to the digital breadcrumbs left by everyday Filipinos—vacation photos, surprise wildlife encounters, and posts that might have once been dismissed as mere curiosity—a clearer, and far more complex, picture is beginning to emerge.
A Surprising Data Source, a Shocking Discovery
Tabeta and Bejar analyzed 1,125 Facebook posts over an 18-year period, mapping every mention, photo, and location tag of tarsier sightings. What they uncovered wasn’t just interesting—it was revelatory.
“We were astonished,” the biologists said in an interview. “Facebook users reported tarsier sightings in 29 provinces—more than twice the number currently listed in official sources like the IUCN Red List or even iNaturalist.”
That means the Philippine tarsier’s actual range may be vastly underreported. Even more surprising? Many of these sightings were outside the country's designated Protected Areas or Key Biodiversity Areas. The implications are staggering: the tarsier might be more resilient and adaptable to human-altered landscapes than conservationists had previously believed.
Caught Between Cameras and Concrete
But the study didn’t stop at mapping locations. It also uncovered the many faces of the human–tarsier relationship. Some Facebook posts depicted charming ecotourism interactions—visitors marveling at wide-eyed creatures clinging to branches. Others told darker stories: tarsiers found in cages, handed over to authorities after being rescued, or tragically, discovered dead—some killed by domestic pets or injured by forest fires.
From these social snippets, Tabeta and Bejar identified a constellation of emerging threats: habitat encroachment from infrastructure development, increasing interactions with predators like pet cats and dogs, and even accidental harm through well-meaning but ill-informed tourism.
“Facebook gave us a raw, unfiltered view of how people encounter tarsiers in real life. These are the stories that don’t always make it into journals or official reports,” the researchers explained. “But they’re just as important.”
Facebook as a Conservation Frontier
What sets this study apart is not just its findings, but its methodology—a pioneering use of public social media content to monitor wildlife distribution and human-wildlife interaction. In the absence of funding for large-scale field studies, this approach is not only cost-effective but also inclusive, bridging the gap between scientists and citizens.
And it’s already spawning action. Tabeta and Bejar have launched the Philippine Tarsier Conservation and Research Initiative, a Facebook-based community for those who want to contribute to tarsier conservation. Through the platform, they aim to educate the public, crowdsource data, and empower communities to protect the primates they may not even realize are living in their backyards.
Published in the International Journal of Primatology, the study—titled “Improving Our Understanding of a Cryptic Primate, the Philippine Tarsier (Carlito syrichta), Through Social Media”—is a beacon of innovation in the age of information. It proves that even in the jungle of memes and viral dances, there’s room for science—and perhaps, a path toward saving species hiding in plain sight.
A Post, a Photo, a Possibility
This isn’t just a story about tarsiers. It’s a story about how every post we make—every seemingly trivial photo shared—can ripple outward with unexpected power. It's about how ordinary people, with smartphones in hand, are unwittingly contributing to extraordinary discoveries.
As the digital age continues to evolve, so too must conservation. And maybe, just maybe, the next big breakthrough in saving wildlife won’t come from the jungle, but from your newsfeed.
So next time you see a pair of glowing eyes in the treetops during your island getaway, don’t just post and scroll—tag responsibly, share ethically, and know that your story could help rewrite the future of an entire species.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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