The western tarsier is yellowish beige or sand-coloured. Enormous, goggled eyes take up most of its face. The eyes cannot move within the sockets, so a flexible neck turns the head around almost 180° for a backward look. Large ears are in constant motion as they follow the sounds of possible prey. The fingers and toes are very long and have suction pads at the tips for gripping tree branches. Fingernails and toenails are flattened, except for those on the second and third toes. These two toes have grooming claws, used for cleaning the fur of dead skin and parasites and for scratching. The long, rod-like tail is bare with a small clump of hair at the end. Ridges on the inside part of the tail support the tarsier when it clings to tree trunks or branches. |
