Tapir
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 Brazilian
Tapir
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| Tapirus
bairdii Tapirus indicus Tapirus pinchaque Tapirus terrestris |
Tapirs are large browsing animals, roughly pig-like in shape but with short, prehensile trunks. Size varies between species, but most are about 2 meters long, stand about a meter high at the shoulder, and weigh between 150 and 300 kg. The natural lifespan of a tapir is approximately 30 years, and a single youngster is born after a gestation of about 13 months. All baby tapirs have striped-and-spotted coats for camouflage, and while they appear at first glance to be alike, there are some differences among the patterns of different species.
The tapir family is old by mammalian standards: the earliest fossil tapir dates to the early Oligocene, and Eocene rocks from as early as 55 million years ago contain a wide range of tapir-like animals. Their closest relatives are the other odd-toed ungulates: horses and rhinoceroses. Tapirs have splayed, hoofed toes, with four toes on the front feet and three on the hind feet, which help them walk on muddy and soft ground.
Although tapirs were once widespread, only four species endured into the modern world: three in Central America and the warmer parts of South America, and one in Southeast Asia.
Tapirs are forest animals that love water. Although they frequently live in dryland forests, tapirs with access to lakes or rivers spend a good deal of time in and under the water, feeding on soft vegetation and taking refuge from predators. The Brazilian Tapir often sinks to the bottom of a stream and walks along the riverbed to feed. In forests, they eat fruit, leaves, and berries.
Tapirs are largely nocturnal and crepuscular. The smaller Mountain Tapir of the Andes is generally diurnal, but all four species react to hunting pressure by retreating deeper into inaccessible regions and becoming more nocturnal.
Although they are taken by bears, crocodiles, anacondas, tigers and other big cats, the tapirs' major predators are human. Hunting for meat and hides has substantially reduced their numbers and, more recently, massive habitat loss has resulted in the conservation watch-listing of all four species: the Brazilian Tapir is classified as lower risk, near threatened; both the Baird's Tapir and the Malayan Tapir are classified as vulnerable; and the Mountain Tapir is endangered.
Species
There are four tapir species:
- Baird's Tapir, Tapirus bairdii
- Malayan Tapir, Tapirus indicus
- Mountain Tapir, Tapirus pinchaque
- Brazilian Tapir (also called Lowland Tapir), Tapirus terrestris
Hybrids
Hybrid tapirs from the Baird's Tapir and the Brazilian Tapir were bred at the San Francisco Zoo around 1968 and produced a second generation around 1970.