Baird's Tapir

Taxonomy

• Kingdom: Animalia

• Phylum: Chordata

• Class: Mammalia

• Family: Tapiridae

• Order: Perissodactyla

• Genus: Tapirus 

• Species: bairdii

Evolution

• All Subspecies: Brazilian tapir, Baird’s tapir, Malayan tapir, mountain tapir

• How long has this species been in existence: over 50 million years

• Closest living relative to this species: horses, rhinos and zebras

• 3 ancestors of this species: Protapirus, Heptodon, Tapiravus 

Description

• Physical description of the animal (with at least 3 pictures): Tapirs are stocky herbivores with short legs, short bristly fur, and a rounded back that taper towards the front.

• Point key characteristics of species: distinct nose and markings

• Size: 1.5 meters long

• Weight: 250 kgs 

• Life Span: over 30 years

• Differences between Males and Females: females are larger and heavier

Description of the Habitat

• How much rainfall: Between 2000 - 10000 millimeters per year

• Plants: Rubber tree, cacao, banana, pineapples, passiflora, orchids, Bromeliaceae, and fig

• Animals: Jaguar, capybara, gorillas, sloths, toucans, okapi, and macaw

• Temperature: 21 to 30 degrees Celsius 

• Terrain: Mostly flat with small rock hills and streams

Distribution

• Continents found: central and South America and Southeast Asia 

• Invasive at all: the Urban North American tapir is considered to be invasive subspecies of the North American tapir

Diet

• What exactly does it eat: Leaves, fruits, twigs, small saplings and aquatic vegetation 

• How often does it eat: small amounts of food frequently; around 4 times a day

• How does it get it’s food: foraging 

• Any special foods: no

Social Structure

• Live in packs or solo: Solo; but come together for mating season 

• Roles within community: no roles; mothers stay with young for 1-2 years

• Male or Female led groups: no groups

• Individuals that make up the group: n/a

• How do they interact with each other: only to mate

Reproduction

• How often do they mate: typically once a year, a healthy female tapir can reproduce every two years and they are pregnant for 13 months 

• How many mates do they have: one

• Time of year for mating: March to June

• Mating rituals: Male tapirs will make sounds, shrills and whistling sounds to impress the female.

• Number of offspring produces at a time: most times it is just one, however, there have been twins in the past

• Any unique characteristics of their mating: nothing notable 

Development

• Stages of development: Born, weaning, and then adult 

• How old before sexual maturity: between three and five years of age

• Activities and environment of stages: resting, feeding, and wallowing in mud or water

• Difference between males and females: size, females are larger than males

Causes of death

• Predation: predators of tapirs include large cats and crocodiles 

• Sexual Competition: it is rare that a tapir kills another for a mate

• Disease: Vesicular dermatitis syndrome, includes erythema multiforme and Hemochromatosis 

• Other causes: being hunted for their meat; habitat loss

Competition

• Inter-species – within the species: competition for food and mates

• Intra-species – with other species: lowland tapirs compete with domestic livestock for food and water

• What do they compete over: food and water

• Affect of invasive species: tapirs are not affected

IUCN Rating

• What is the rating?: red list as endangered or vulnerable 

• Population: 4,500

• Population Trend: in decline

Impact of Humans

• What impacts have occurred: deforestation and building of farms and roads is affecting tapir populations

• Potential Future impacts: continued deforestation will cause tapirs to go extinct

• How long have humans been interacting with species: long time

• Efforts being made to minimize impacts: there are conservation efforts done by locals