Sulawesi

Sulawesi Babyrousa, Babyrousa celebensis. Nantu Forest.

I’ve visited Sulawesi three times. I spent a week or so here in 2012 in search of Babyrusa at Nantu and Tarsier, Bear Cuscus and Celebes Crested Macaque in Tangkoko. I returned briefly in 2023 for 36 hours in Tangkoko with Carlos Bocos on my way back from West Papua. And I joined Carlos again for a mega 2 week & 75 species expedition in 2025 across the southern and central parts of the island.

Central

Dian’s Tarsier (Tarsius dentatus), Lore Lindu

Lore Lindu

Undescribed ‘Guzman’s’ Margareta Mouse (Margaretamys sp.nov.B)

This mountain is fabulous for mammalwatching and we spent four nights here in 2025. Close to the road we saw Small Sulawesi Cuscus; Dian’s Tarsier; Lowland Ranee Mouse; Sulawesi Soft-furred Rat; Sulawesi Montane Rat; Common Hill Rat ; Elegant Margareta Rat; Lore Lindu Xanthurus Rat; Peter’s Myotis; Common and Suhaniah’s Swift Fruit Bats; and Lesser Long-tongued Blossom Bat.

During the day we found Sulawesian Free-tailed Bats and a pipistrelle which may be Minahassa Pipistrelle or may be something new to science; as well as Celebes Dwarf Squirrels.

Pygmy Tarsier (Tarsius pumilus). Photo János Oláh

We spent a night higher up the mountain along the Anaso Track where we saw Mount Topapu Squirrel;  the almost unknown Pygmy Tarsier and what appears to be a new mouse which we named Guzman’s Margareta Mouse until scientists can describe it.

We also saw a haeromys mouse (recorded for now as H. minahassae), several spectacular Wallace’s Striped-faced Fruit Bats; and two different woolly (kerivoula) bats. One appears to be from the hardwickii complex and the other appears to be new to science and so we called it the Lore Lindu Woolly Bat.

Poso

Small Sulawesi Cuscus (Strigocuscus celebensis). Photo Carlos Bocos

An overnight stop here in 2025 produced only a few Lesser Sheath-tailed Bats and Small Sulawesi Cuscus  plus we heard Tonkean Macaques.

Malenge Island

Togian Babirusa (Babyrousa togeanensis). Photo János Oláh

This tropical island paradise is the place to Togean Babirusa. We spent two nights here in 2025.

We also found Niemitz’s Tarsier; Dark Sheath-tailed Bat; Intermediate Long-fingered Bat; Peters’s Short-nosed Fruit Bat; and Sulawesi Broad-eared Horseshoe Bat in the forest.

Crested Roundleaf Bat (Hipposideros inexpectatus). Photo János Oláh

A bat cave held Lesser Dawn Bats; Geoffroy’s Rousette; Sulawesi Naked-backed Fruit Bats; Common Dusky Roundleaf Bats; and the little known Crested Roundleaf Bats 

Choppy seas on our way to and from the island were not ideal for ceteacean spotting but we saw some Spinner and Risso’s Dolphins.

Luwuk

Undescribed ‘Tompotika’ Tarsier (Tarsius sp.nov.A). Photo János Oláh

We spent an evening exploring forest near Luwuk in 2025 and saw Tonkean Macaques; the known but still undescribed Tompotika’ Tarsier and Lore Lindu Rat (Rattus facetus) which might end up being something else. We also saw Great Long-fingered Bat; Minute Short-nosed Fruit Bats; and Geoffroy’s Rousettes.

Peleng

Koopman’s Peleng Island Rat (Rattus koopmani). Photo Carlos Bocos

We spent 48 hours on the island at the end our 2025 trip.

In forest close to the port we saw Koopman’s Peleng Island Rat; Pallas’s Tube-nosed Fruit Bat; and the endemic Peleng Tarsier.

Two bat caves were home to Lesser Asian False-vampires; Geoffroy’s Rousette; Lesser Sheath-tailed Bats; Large-eared Horseshoe Bats; Great Long-fingered Bats; Fawn-colored Roundleaf Bats; Sulawesi Horseshoe Bats; the almost unknown Poso Horseshoe Bat; and a chunky Asian House Shrew.

Peleng Cuscus (Phalanger pelengensis). Photo Carlos Bocos

A long walk through forests at higher altitude was excellent. We found Pallas’s Tube-nosed Fruit Bat; Wallace’s Stripe-faced Fruit Bat; Koopman’s Peleng Island Rat; Peleng Tarsier;Common (Lowland) Bear Cuscus; Dark Sheath-tailed Bat; Peleng Island Xanthurus Rat; and a roosting Woolly Bat (most likely Kerivoula hardwickkii).

We eventually saw our key target the lovely Peleng Cuscus.

Back at camp we had weird looking Short-nosed Fruit Bats (Cynopterus cf. minutus):that may represent another new species in waiting; along with Sulawesi Harpy Fruit Bat; Common Swift Fruit Bats; and Lesser Long-tongued Blossom Bats.

North

Tangkoko Nature Reserve

Spectral Tarsier, Tarsius spectrum

Over two nights here in 2012 I saw Gursky’s Spectral Tarsiers, Black Crested Macaques and Bear Cuscus. I also found roosting Sulawesi Rousettes and a Whitish Dwarf Squirrel.

Celebes Crested Macaque, Macaca nigra

Thirty six hours here in 2023 added Small (Dwarf) Sulawesi Cuscus, Celebes Dwarf Squirrel, Hoffman’s Sulawesi and Northeastern Xanthurus Rats, Hellwald’s and Musschenbroek’s Sulawesi Maxomys, Long-tailed Taeromys, Swift and Forest Short-nosed Fruit Bats, Sulawesi Naked-backed Fruit Bat, Sulawesi Fruit Bat, Lesser False Vampire Bat, Sulawesi Horseshoe Bat, and Nepalese (Brown’s) Whiskered Bat.

Manado Tua

Manado Tua

An awful hike up and down the mountain in 2012 in search of Dwarf Cuscuses produced no mammals.

Nantu

Sulawesi Babyrousa, Babyrousa celebensis

Three nights here in 2012 was enough time to see Heck’s Macaque, lots of Babirusas and a few Sulawesi Wild Pigs.

South East

Meyer’s Giant Rat (Lenomys meyeri), Mount Lompobattang

Makassar

Moor Macaque (Macaca maura)

A day and night here in 2025 produced Moor Macaques; Weber’s Dwarf Squirrel; Makassar Tarsier; Sulawesi Dwarf Cuscus; Hoffman’s Sulawesi Rat; Black Rat; Celebes Rat; Sulawesi Flying Fox; Sulawesi Horseshoe Bat; and Javan Pipistrelle.

Mount Lompobattang

Seemingly undescribed ‘Lompobattang Tarsier (Tarsius sp.nov.B). Photo Carlos Bocos

An evening in 2025 in the superb mossy forest here was a mammal nirvana. We saw what appears to be a brand new species of tarsier – which we named temporarily ‘Lompobattang Tarsier’, Sulawesi Dwarf Cuscus; Meyer’s Giant Rat; Southwestern Xanthurus Rat; Hoffmann’s Sulawesi Rat;  Lompobatang Sulawesi Rat; and Celebes Rat.

Undescribed ‘Lompobattang’ Margareta Rat (Margaretamys sp.nov.A )

We also saw a pretty little margeratamys rat that is undescribed but known to scientists which we refered to as ‘Lompobattang Margareta Mouse’.

And we identified Common Swift Fruit Bats and Sulawesi Harpy Fruit Bats and another Javan Pipistrelle type bat (Alionoctula cf. javanica) that may also be an undescribed species.

Plus a mega bird – the Sulawesi Woodcock.

South West

Southwest’ (Lowland) Ranee Mouse (Haeromys cf. minahassae), Kendari

Kendari

Peleng Roundleaf Bat (Hipposideros pelingensis)

During 48 hours here in 2025 we saw Booted Macaques; Alston’s Squirrel and what may be a brand new species of  ranee mouse (haeromys cf. minahassae), the long lost Southeastern Xanthurus Rat (Rattus salocco) that hasn’t been seen by scientists for 100 years; as well as Hoffmann’s Sulawesi Rat; and Giant Sulawesi Rats. We also found Dark Sheath-tailed Bats; Diadem Roundleaf Bats; Sulawesi Horseshoe Bats; Minute Short-nosed Bats; and Sulawesi Fruit Bats.

A cave held Black-bearded Tomb Bats; Philippine Long-fingered Bats; Geoffroy’s Rousette ; and the Sulawesi endemics Boeadi’s and Peleng Roundleaf Bats.

Babyrusa skull