Philippine Tarsier & Wildlife Sanctuary (Corella)

Overview

The Philippine Tarsier & Wildlife Sanctuary in Corella is a forest reserve spanning 134 to 167 hectares across the municipalities of Corella, Sikatuna, and Loboc. It was established by the Philippine Tarsier Foundation in partnership with DENR and local communities as a conservation site, not a commercial attraction. Over 500 Philippine tarsiers live and breed naturally within this secondary-growth forest.

Unlike roadside tarsier displays or facilities that allow handling, Corella’s sanctuary operates under strict rules: no flash photography, no touching, no close-approach shooting. The animals roam free through native trees, bamboo, and undergrowth rather than being staged for a photo — the habitat they depend on, not a backdrop for one.

The site includes the Tarsier Research and Development Center, a visitor center at Barangay Cancatac approximately 3 km from Corella town proper, where tarsiers are also observed through an enclosed monitoring area for breeding and research.

Location

Barangay Cancatac, Corella, Bohol. The sanctuary entrance is along the Corella-Sikatuna road, approximately 2 km from Corella town center. The forest trail extends across Corella, Sikatuna, and Loboc municipalities.

Getting There

• Private vehicle: Most direct option; parking available at the sanctuary entrance
• Organized tour: Most Bohol countryside tour packages include a Corella sanctuary stop
• Tricycle/habal-habal: Negotiate from Tagbilaran City (approximately ₱300–500 round trip)
• Public transport: Jeepney to Corella town, then tricycle to the sanctuary — slower but lower cost

The sanctuary is approximately 20 minutes from Tagbilaran City by road.

Practical Info

• Operating hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Best viewing window: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM (tarsiers sleep during the day but remain visible in resting spots)
• Guided walks: approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours; maximum group size of 10 to minimize disturbance
• Entrance fee: ₱60 per person, per the Philippine Tarsier Foundation’s own visitor information — the organization that established and operates this sanctuary. Note this file’s stated hours (8:00 AM–5:00 PM) differ from the Foundation’s own published hours (9:00 AM–4:00 PM) elsewhere in this database; both are sourced but not reconciled here.
• The Tarsier Research and Development Center (visitor center) has documentary screenings, photo exhibitions, an eco-friendly souvenir shop, and a refreshment area

Rules all visitors must follow:

• No touching, holding, or attempting contact with tarsiers
• No flash photography or bright lights
• No loud conversations or sudden movements
• Maintain at least 1-metre distance at all times
• Stay on designated trail paths with a guide

Tarsiers have extremely sensitive nervous systems; stress from noise, bright light, or physical contact can cause cardiac arrest.

What to Expect

The sanctuary’s 15-km Tarsier Trail winds through mahogany groves, bamboo forests, native ficus trees, and fern-covered undergrowth across Corella, Sikatuna, and Loboc. Guides know the tarsiers’ preferred resting locations.

Along the trail, visitors can observe:

• Wild tarsiers at natural resting spots
• Birds including serpent eagles, native owls, and woodpeckers
• Signage identifying plants with scientific names, geographic origins, and traditional uses
• Viewpoints overlooking the Loboc River area

At the visitor center, an orientation video (approximately 15 minutes) covers tarsier behavior and conservation context before the trail walk begins. A 100-tarsier enclosed monitoring area near the center houses animals for captive breeding, feeding, and protection from predators and poachers.

Recommended visit sequence: orientation video → educational displays → guided forest trail → refreshments and souvenir shop

Notes

• Dry season (December–May) offers the most comfortable trail conditions; the sanctuary remains open during light rain but heavy downpours can temporarily close forest trails
• Morning visits (8:00–10:00 AM) often coincide with tarsiers settling into daytime resting spots
• Peak tourism months (December–February) may require advance booking due to visitor quotas
• [NOTE: area is cited as both 134 ha and 167 ha across primary sources]
• The Corella Church of Nuestra Señora del Villar (built 1924) is nearby and relevant to heritage visitors
• The sanctuary is recognized as a critical habitat by the government; Corella and neighboring municipalities have been formally declared tarsier sanctuary zones
• This entry, philippine-tarsier-foundation-inc.md, and philippine-tarsier-sanctuary.md all describe the same Corella facility/organization (the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Inc. and the site it operates), at different levels of detail; kept as separate files per the source inventory rather than merged. Multiple independent sources (PTFI’s own materials, Wikipedia) place the Foundation’s sanctuary in Barangay Canapnapan rather than Barangay Cancatac as stated earlier in this file — flagged here as an unresolved barangay-name discrepancy, not corrected, since neither name could be independently confirmed as the error.
• Visiting the Tarsiers – Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Inc., accessed 2026-07-17.
• Philippine Tarsier Foundation – Wikipedia, accessed 2026-07-17.