April 27 is World Tapir Day, a date that has been dedicated specifically to the appreciation of the tapir and raising awareness of its endangered status in the world. The tapir is an absolutely fascinating creature, so we thought we’d share some interesting information about this endangered species in preparation for their big day.
What is the tapir?
At first glance, you could mistake some species of tapir for a wild pig. The body type and size is roughly the same, and the tapir even has a snout. But it is actually more closely related to the zebra, horse, donkey, and rhinoceros. All of these are members of the order Perissodactyla, or odd-toed ungulates.
There are 17 known species within this order, all of which are characterized by bearing an odd number of toes on the front or back feet (or both). Tapirs have four toes on the front feet and three toes on the back. There are four extant species of tapir: Brazilian tapir, Malayan tapir, Baird’s tapir, and mountain tapir. Fully grown, tapirs can reach a length of over 6 feet and weigh 300-700 lbs.
Where does the tapir live?
Tapirs reside in the jungles and forests of Southeast Asia, Central America, and South America. All of these provide the soft ground to which tapir toes have adapted. While tapirs do have hooves that extend from the front edges of each toe, the underside of their foot is soft and padded, more like a paw than a hoof. They range in color from reddish brown to tan to half white and half black. The mountain tapir bears a woolly hide that protects it from the colder climes of Andes Mountains. Newborn tapirs are markedly different from adults in appearance, bearing contrasting stripes and spots that help camouflage them from predators as they mature.
What does the tapir eat?
As herbivores, tapirs spend a great deal of their days foraging for young, soft vegetation, berries, and fruit. If their environment features a rive or lake, they will gladly take to the waves to swim, cool down, and avoid predation. Tapirs can even submerge completely in the water, allowing cleaner species to pick parasites from its hide. Their flexible snout, called a proboscis, comes in particularly handy for gripping plants that would not be reachable otherwise.
Because they have monocular vision (meaning both eyes operate independently), the tapir has a limited depth of field. Fortunately, other physical characteristics like a thick neck hide and their sheer size are usually sufficient to avoid predation by tigers, jaguars, crocodiles, and anacondas. However, as with many species that have few natural predators, humans are responsible for their listing as endangered and vulnerable.
Hunting for meat and hides has played a role in the endangerment of the world’s tapirs, but habitat loss is the biggest threat they face. These animals need substantial areas of natural land to maintain genetic diversity in their populations. This land is parceled out for mining, plantations, and development for commercial and residential purposes. Tapirs are vital seed distributors, an important part of a balanced ecosystem.
Risk of extinction
If you want to be a part of helping the world’s tapirs escape a fate of extinction, you can make a donation to one of several organizations set up to collect funds. WorldTapirDay.org has an online store where you can purchase apparel, mugs, stickers, and more for people of all ages. The proceeds of these purchases go the Ecuador Tropical Rainforest Project, run by the World Land Trust and the Rainforest Trust, to purchase land to keep as tapir habitat.
When it comes to saving animal species, protecting their habitat is the first place to start. Join us in celebrating World Tapir Day and do what you can to help the species survive!
Featured Image from Jeffrey Hamilton/Unsplash
