Investigating the local people’s perception of the primate species in question, as well as the impressions of and experiences with conservation measures in their neighbourhood, is important in order to devise an appropriate conservation strategy. Here, we provide our findings on the knowledge of the Bilar local community about the Philippine tarsier (Tarsius [Carlito] syrichta) and its population endangerment risk. From October 2016 to November 2017 we conducted interviews with 325 residents from five villages in Bilar, Bohol Island, the Philippines. Tarsiers, though correctly recognized as such by the majority of interviewees, were infrequently sighted in the area, mainly by men, local resource suppliers and villagers in forested areas. Despite a high general knowledge of the species, its ecology and conservation are less well known, with word-of-mouth and personal experience being important sources of information. The species is generally not perceived by locals as endangered, and positive conservation attitudes prevail. Nevertheless, hunting in the area is widespread, and tarsiers are captured either for sale, to be kept as pets or trafficked to tourist facilities or foreigners. The Philippine tarsier, as a charismatic animal, has the potential to be an effective ‘flagship species’ for promoting conservation efforts. To strengthen the species’ conservation, we recommend involving forest resources suppliers in research activities and wildlife tour services, continuing teacher training to ensure that school education emphasizes the ecological and aesthetic values of the Philippine tarsiers, and enhancing the image of this primate, particularly in the digital context, to improve tarsier welfare in captivity.

为了设计适当的保护策略，调查当地人对有关灵长类动物的看法以及对保护措施的印象和经验对他们来说很重要。在这里，我们提供了关于 Bilar 当地社区对菲律宾眼镜猴 ( Tarsius [ Carlito ] syrichta) 及其种群危害风险。从 2016 年 10 月到 2017 年 11 月，我们采访了来自菲律宾薄荷岛比拉尔五个村庄的 325 名居民。Tarsiers尽管在大多数受访者中都得到了正确的认可，但在该地区却很少见到，主要是男人，当地资源供应商和森林地区的村民。尽管对该物种有很高的一般知识，但其生态和保护却鲜为人知，口耳相传和个人经验是重要的信息来源。当地人通常不认为该物种濒临灭绝，积极的保护态度盛行。然而，该地区的狩猎活动很普遍，眼镜猴被捕获出售、作为宠物饲养或贩卖到旅游设施或外国人。菲律宾眼镜猴，作为一种有魅力的动物，它有可能成为促进保护工作的有效“旗舰物种”。为了加强该物种的保护，我们建议让森林资源供应商参与研究活动和野生动物旅游服务，继续进行教师培训以确保学校教育强调菲律宾眼镜猴的生态和美学价值，并提升这种灵长类动物的形象，特别是在数字环境，以提高圈养眼镜猴的福利。