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Brazilian tapir
We have a female tapir here at Newquay Zoo called Tamara. She lives in our tapir habitat next to the penguins.
The Brazilian tapir is the largest land mammal native to South America and plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. It is widely distributed across northern and central South America, occurring in countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay and northern Argentina. Brazilian tapirs primarily inhabit tropical rainforests, but they are also found in seasonally flooded forests, savannas, wetlands and gallery forests, usually close to rivers or streams.
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Perissodactyla
Family:
Tapiridae
About the Brazilian tapir
Tapirs are mostly solitary and nocturnal, spending much of their time foraging for leaves, shoots, fruits and aquatic plants. They are excellent swimmers and often enter water to cool down, escape predators or feed. Their flexible, short trunk—an extension of the upper lip and nose—is used to grasp vegetation with surprising dexterity. As they consume large quantities of fruit and disperse seeds over long distances through their droppings, Brazilian tapirs are often referred to as “gardeners of the forest.”
An interesting fact about Brazilian tapirs is that their young are born with white stripes and spots, providing camouflage in dappled forest light; these markings fade as they mature.
Conservation
Despite their size and importance, the species faces increasing threats from habitat loss, road collisions and hunting. As a result, the Brazilian tapir is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, highlighting the importance of conservation efforts to protect this iconic species.