Tapirs, like this lowland tapir, are both browsers and grazers.
There are five types of tapirs: The impressive nose of the Baird's tapir is useful for finding food.īaird's or Central American tapir Tapirus bairdii: Native to Mexico and Central America, its coat is dark red-brown to black as an adult, with a white chest and chin and white ear fringes. They also serve as biological indicators of the health and vitality of an area: tapirs are the first to decline when there is human disturbance because of their large size, slow reproductive rate, and sensitivity to their environment. Tapirs are important recyclers of nutrients, helping the soil and landscape thrive. A recent study of lowland tapirs in Peru revealed 122 different seeds in their dung! They are masters at dispersing seeds and leaving them well fertilized, providing themselves and other wildlife with an ongoing supply of food and shelter. It also adds an air of mystery to the tapir-at first glance, it’s hard to tell just what this creature is!Īs key wildlife in shaping and maintaining the biological diversity of tropical forests, tapirs are vital components in their ecosystems. This prehensile mini-trunk (by elephant standards!) is used to grab branches and strip off the leaves or to help pluck fruit and put it directly in the tapir’s mouth. It can be used as a snorkel when the tapir is underwater and as an effective tool to detect odors wafting through the dense forest. The tapir's nose and upper lip combine into a flexible snout like an elephant's trunk. Male tapirs are slightly smaller than females. Their eyes and ears are small, and the body is teardrop shaped: tapered in the front and wider at the rear, designed to walk through thick vegetation. The four types of tapir are most closely related to horses and rhinos, since they have an odd number of toes (four toes on each front foot, three on each back foot). Zoo visitors often ask, "What is it? A pig? An anteater?" No, it's a tapir, a primitive animal that has remained largely unchanged for millions of years.
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