The Asian tapir (often referred to as Malayan) lives in Southeast Asia. While this tapir used to inhabit much of

the region including the countries of Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, the

species is unfortunately extinct in some of these areas today. Although tapirs can be hard to come by, they can

often be found in Malaysia, on the Malay Peninsula.

The Southeast Asia region where the tapirs reside is a terrestrial environment,

specifically, the Rainforest and surrounding areas. Tapirs prefer a wet climate and mostly live near the water.

Common Name = Asian/Malayan Tapir

Scientific Name = Tapirus indicus

CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Perissodactyla

Family: Tapiridae

Genus: Tapirus

The coloring of the Malayan tapir is highly recognizable. The front of

the body and hind legs are black while the back has a “saddle-

blanket” of white.

In general, tapirs are dense and bulky with hard, tough skin.

Prehistorically, tapirs can be traced in the ancestry of the

primitive horse and the rhinoceros.

2-3 million years ago, tapirs migrated from Central America to

South America across the Panamanian Land Bridge.

Body Length = 6-8 feet

Height = 3-3.5 feet

Tail Length = 2-4 inches

Weight = 550-704 lbs.

Colors = black & white

Hoof-like feet with four toes on each front foot and three toes on each back foot allow the tapir to

walk on the muddy and soft ground in their favorite

environment.

Although thought to be sloth-like, tapirs are actually quite agile runners. They use this

ability along with their swimming skills in order to evade

predators.

Ancient tapirs and the tapirs of today look quite similar, when

compared. However, the tapir’s nose did not grow to its present length until a few million years

ago.

Tapirs eat in the early morning, before sunrise and

at night, after sunset. Because this schedule is not always abided by, tapirs are

considered “crepuscular” rather than nocturnal, simply meaning that they become

active before and after sunlight.

When threatened, the tapir often rushes toward the water or into the foliage, two areas

in which the species feels most safe.

Leaves and shoots make up the tapir’s diet.

Predators include leopards, tigers, and humans : (

MATING HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY OBSERVED IN CAPTIVITYEarliest known matings = 3 years for males, 2.8 years for females

Earliest known conception = 36 months

Breeding occurs primarily in May and June.

Gestation Period = 390-407 days

Adult females typically produce one calf, rarely two.

Baby tapirs weigh between 15 and 25 pounds at birth.

Tapirs are simply classified as “male” and “female”.

A baby tapir is referred to as a “calf” and are “hiders”. This means that the mother hides them away in thick leaves while she leaves, coming back later to find her baby. For this reason, all baby tapirs are striped and spotted at birth,

for camouflage.

Life expectancy = 30 years

The tapir’s greatest enemy is the human! Species are

decreasing due to hunting, encroachment, and habitat

destruction.

While tigers and leopards do hunt these animals, many debate whether they pose serious threat,

due to the tapir’s strength and tough skin.

Remember, tapirs like the warm, moist environment,

so save the rainforests!

In order to prevent the killing of more tapirs,

hunting needs to stop!

Many tapirs can be raised in captivity, in order to

distribute healthy species back into the environment.

Eaton, Theodore H. “Tapir.” The World Book Encyclopedia. 1970 ed.

Jakab, Audrey. “The Tapir Gallery.” 2000. 10 September 2003.

<http://www.tapirback.com/tapirgal/describd.htm>

Khan, Mohd Khan bin Momin. “Tapirs: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan.” 1997.10 September 2003. <

http://www.tapirback.com/tapirgal/iucn-ssc/tsg/action97/ap97-01.htm>

Schroder, Stefan. “The Tapir Gallery: Focus on the Asian tapir.” 1996. 10 September 2003.

<http://wqww.tapirback.com/tapirgal/asian/default.htm>

“Tapirus Indicus.” 8 September 2003. 10 September 2003.

<http://www.ultimateungulate.com/Perissodactyla/Tapirus_indicus.html>

Todd, Sheryl. “What’s a Tapir?” 10 September 2003. <http://www.tapir.org/about_tapir.html>