Tapir

Tapirs are large herbivores that belong to the family Tapiridae. They look a bit like pigs, but they have a short, flexible nose trunk, also called a proboscis, which they use to grasp food. These interesting animals live in the jungles and forests of South and Central America and Southeast Asia.

Tapirs are part of a group of animals known as Perissodactyla, which includes equines and rhinoceroses. Today, only one genus of tapir exists, called Tapirus. In the past, tapirs lived in North America too, but they disappeared from there about 12,000 years ago. They moved into South America during a time when a land bridge formed between North and South America.

Etymology

The word tapir comes from Portuguese words tapir and tapira. These words have their roots in an old language called Old Tupi. In Old Tupi, the word was tapi'ira, and it specifically referred to a type of tapir called Tapirus terrestris.

Species

See also: List of perissodactyls § Tapiridae

There are four widely recognized living species of tapir, all in the genus Tapirus of the family Tapiridae. These are the South American tapir, the Malayan tapir, Baird's tapir, and the mountain tapir. In 2013, researchers suggested they found a fifth species called the kabomani tapir, but many believe it is actually part of the South American tapir group.

The four species are considered Endangered or Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Tapirs are related to other odd-toed ungulates like horses, wild asses, zebras, and rhinoceroses.

General appearance

Tapirs are large animals, usually about 2 meters (6 and a half feet) long and weigh between 150 and 300 kilograms (330 and 660 pounds). They have short fur that can be reddish brown, grey, or nearly black. One type, the Malayan tapir, has a special white mark on its back.

All tapirs have small, oval ears with white tips and short tails. Their feet have hooves and special toes that help them walk on soft, muddy ground. Baby tapirs are born with striped and spotted coats to help them hide.

Physical characteristics

Tapirs have brown eyes that may appear bluish, especially in Malayan tapirs. This is due to a cloudy condition in their eyes, which might be caused by too much light or injury. However, tapirs have good hearing and a strong sense of smell to help them see better.

Tapirs have simple stomachs and can break down food well thanks to a large special part of their digestive system.

Proboscis

The tapir’s nose, called a proboscis, is very flexible and helps them reach leaves and branches they couldn’t normally get to. Tapirs sometimes show a special behavior where they lift their noses and show their teeth to catch scents in the air. The size of the proboscis changes among tapir species; Malayan tapirs have the longest noses, while Brazilian tapirs have the shortest. The tapir’s nose is made of soft tissue, not bone, which gives their skulls a unique shape compared to other similar animals.

Dentition

Tapirs have simple, low-crowned teeth without a special hard covering. They have between 42 to 44 teeth, which is similar to horses but a bit different from other related animals like rhinoceroses. Their front teeth are shaped like chisels, and they have special ridges on their chewing teeth for grinding food.

Life cycle

Young tapirs grow up and can have babies between three and five years old, with girls growing up a bit faster than boys. If they have good food and a safe place to live, a mother tapir can have a baby every two years. After about 13 months, she gives birth to one baby, called a calf. Tapirs can live for about 25 to 30 years, whether they are in the jungle or in zoos. Most of the time, tapirs live alone, except when a mother is with her baby.

Behaviour

Tapirs often enjoy spending time in water, especially near rivers. They use water to stay cool, find food, and rest safely away from animals that might want to hurt them. When they are near water, tapirs like to swim and even walk along the riverbed to look for food.

In the wild, tapirs eat fruits, berries, and leaves, especially young and soft plants. They spend a lot of time searching for food, using their noses to sniff the ground. Some tapirs have been seen eating as much as 40 kg (85 lb) of plants in just one day!

Most tapirs are more active at night or during dawn and dusk, but the smaller mountain tapirs that live in the Andes are often seen during the day. They do not see very well out of one eye alone.

Habitat, predation, and vulnerability

Adult tapirs are big enough that they don’t have many natural enemies. Their thick skin helps protect them from animals like jaguars, crocodiles, anacondas, and tigers. Even though they look slow, tapirs can run quickly when they need to and hide in dense forest areas or water.

People hunting tapirs for meat and their hides has greatly reduced their numbers. Recently, losing their homes due to human activities has also become a big problem. All four types of tapirs are now watched closely for conservation. The Brazilian tapir is considered vulnerable, while Baird's tapir, the mountain tapir, and the Malayan tapir are endangered. A study from 2022 showed that the lowland tapir in the Atlantic Forest could disappear completely because of human actions like hunting and deforestation.

Evolution and natural history

Tapirs came from a group of early animals called the "tapiroids", which lived in North America and Asia during a time called the Eocene. The first known tapirs appeared in Europe during a period called the Early Oligocene. Later, during the Mid-Miocene, tapirs spread to Asia and North America. The last tapir species in Europe, called Tapirus arvernensis, went away about 2.6 million years ago during the Pliocene. Tapirs reached South America during a time known as the Pleistocene as part of a big change in animal movement between the two continents, with their oldest fossils there dating to between 2.6 and 1 million years ago.

Genetics

Tapirs have different numbers of chromosomes in their cells. The Malayan tapir, which lives far away from the others, has fewer chromosomes and is genetically different from the American tapirs.

There is concern about the lack of genetic diversity in tapir populations. Habitat loss has separated small groups of wild tapirs, increasing the risk of their populations disappearing. Even in zoos, genetic diversity is limited. For example, all captive mountain tapirs come from just two original individuals.

Hybrids of Baird's and the South American tapirs were bred at the San Francisco Zoo around 1969.

Conservation

Several projects around the world work to protect tapirs. The Tapir Specialist Group, part of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, helps save tapirs and their homes in Central and South America and Southeast Asia.

One important project in Costa Rica began in 1994. It studies tapirs in Corcovado National Park by using special collars to learn about their lives and favorite places. Another group, started by Patrícia Medici, focuses on protecting tapirs in Brazil.

Attacks on humans

Tapirs are usually very shy, but they can defend themselves if they feel scared. They have strong jaws and can bite hard. Though these events are rare, there have been a few times when tapirs have hurt people.

For example, in 1998, a zookeeper in Oklahoma City was hurt when a tapir inside its enclosure became agitated. In 2006, a man in Corcovado National Park was bitten by a wild tapir after getting lost. In 2013, a young child in Dublin Zoo was also bitten during a visit to the tapir area. Despite these incidents, tapirs usually try to run away or hide in water rather than fight.

Frank Buck wrote about a tapir attack in his book, Bring 'Em Back Alive.

Folklore

Tapirs appear in the stories and beliefs of many cultures. In Japan, they are linked to the Baku, a creature thought to chase away bad dreams. In South America, tapirs are part of tales about how the earth was made.