Tapir

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Tapir Fossil range: Early Eocene–Recent PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Brazilian Tapir
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Perissodactyla Superfamily: Tapiroidea Family: Tapiridae Gray, 1821 Genus: Tapirus Brünnich, 1772
Species
See text.

A tapir (pronounced /ˈteɪpər/ "taper", or /təˈpɪər/ "ta-pier") is a large browsing mammal, roughly pig-like in shape, with a short, prehensile snout. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia. There are four species of Tapirs, being the Brazilian tapir, the Malayan tapir, Baird's tapir and the mountain tapir. All four species of tapir are classified as endangered or vulnerable. Their closest relatives are the other odd-toed ungulates, including horses and rhinoceroses.

Contents [hide] 1 Species 2 Hybrids 3 General appearance 4 Physical characteristics 5 Lifecycle 6 Behavior 7 Habitat, predation, and vulnerability 8 Evolution and Natural History 9 Genetics 10 Conservation 11 Attacks on humans 12 Cultural references 13 References 14 External links

[edit] Species

There are four widely recognised extant tapir species, though some authors describe more, and a number of extinct species:

• Baird's Tapir, Tapirus bairdii
• Malayan Tapir, Tapirus indicus
• Mountain Tapir, Tapirus pinchaque
• Brazilian Tapir (also called Lowland Tapir), Tapirus terrestris
• Black Dwarf Lowland Tapir, Tapirus pygmaeus^[1] (validity questionable)
• Tapirus polkensis †
• Tapirus merriami †
• Tapirus veroensis †
• Tapirus copei †
• Tapirus californicus †

[edit] Hybrids

Hybrid tapirs from the Baird's Tapir and the Brazilian Tapir were bred at the San Francisco Zoo around 1969 and produced a second generation around 1970.^[2]

A baird's tapir in Belize

[edit] General appearance

Size varies between types, but most tapirs are about 2 meters (7 ft) long, stand about a meter (3 ft) high at the shoulder, and weigh between 150 and 300 kg (330 to 700 lb). Coats are short and range in color from reddish-brown to grey to nearly black, with the notable exceptions of the Malayan Tapir, which has a white saddle-shaped marking on its back, and the Mountain Tapir, which has longer, woolly fur. All tapirs have oval, white-tipped ears, rounded, protruding rumps with stubby tails, and 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. Baby tapirs of all types have striped-and-spotted coats for camouflage. Females have a single pair of mammary glands.^[3]

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