Anybody close to me knows there’s one animal which is by far my favourite, the Tapir! This large hooved mammal has a funny looking appearance due to its trunk like nose and pig like body. Despite its recent, slight increase in popularity, many know very little, if anything at all about them. Because of this I thought I would share a quick round up of some general information.
Evolution and phylogeny
There are five different living species of tapir; the Malayan, Lowland, Mountain, Bairds and the most recently discovered species, the Kabomani Tapir. However a vast number of extinct species once existed, all within the genus Tapirus. The first fossil record of the tapir dates back to the early Oligocene period, (65.5-23 million years ago), with evidence of these extinct ancestral species found on every continent, with the exclusion of Antarctica.
The genus is in fact believed to have been the first to have evolved in the family Equidae, also containing rhinos and horses. These are the tapir’s closest living relatives, who evolved from them approximately 40 million years ago.
Physiology and Lifestyle
Tapirs live within tropical rainforest regions, with the exception of the Mountain Tapir. Ecologically they are important seed dispersers with a diet made up primarily of fruit and berries. Fairly little is known about their daily behaviour, but it is believed they repetitively follow premade tracks . Despite family groups existing in zoos, studies in to their social behaviour show strong social relationships don’t exist. When groups are found, it is called a candle of Tapirs.
One certainty of tapir behaviour is their love for water. Here is one of the areas where their unusual trunk like nose is beneficial. This provides a built in snorkel. Otherwise the nose is used as a grabbing utensil, in a similar way to elephants.
In terms of weight and size, tapirs vary between species, the largest being the Malayan (Av: 2.3m in length, 700kg), and smallest the Kabomani (Av: 1.3m in length, 110kg). Variation also occurs in colouration. The most recognised colouration is the Malayan, with a large white patch on its back. Opposingly, the remaining four species range from a solid colour of light to dark brown/black.
Vulnerability
With the exception of the Kabomani, which it’s yet to be assessed, all species of tapir are considered vulnerable to extinction. Within this, three species, the Mountain, Malayan and Baird’s tapir are considered endangered. In some cases, such as the mountain tapir, the causes of population loss are unknown. However, habitat and both direct and indirect hunting impacts are believed to be the main cause. As tapirs are considered keystone species, understanding the cause of their decline will be vital.
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