About the size of small donkeys, Baird’s tapirs typically weigh between 150 to 300 kilograms. The biggest threat to the population of this endangered species is habitat loss. The most important senses to Baird’s tapirs are smell and hearing, both of which are used in finding food and detecting threats. Due to their large body size, Baird’s tapirs have difficulty dissipating heat. Another distinct characteristic of the tapir is their odd numbered toes. 2002. They have thick leathery skin and a reddish-brown colored coat that can turn into a white coloring toward the neck and jaw region. According to the IUCN Red List, the total Baird’s tapir population estimate for mature individuals is thought to be close to 3,000. Biotropica, 34: 423-437. Abby, a Baird’s tapir at Franklin Park Zoo, is an experienced mother. Baird’s Tapir may be active at all hours, but is primarily nocturnal. They are generally considered to have poor eyesight, and therefore use their acute hearing and keen sense of smell to detect predators, food, and other tapirs. Food and water availability are important factors in habitat selection. animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Animal Conservation, 7: 211-220. HAGR: the Human Ageing Genomic Resources. Hernandez-Divers, S., R. Aguilar, D. Leandro-Loria, C. Foerster. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, In Keienburg, W., ed., Grzimeks Enzyklopadie, Kindler Verlag, Munich, Saugetiere. However, this is rare because tapirs generally avoid human-disturbed areas and are few in number. It is thought that the stripes help the youngsters blend in with the rainforest. The Baird's tapir, Tapirus bairdii, is the largest land mammal in Central America. (Terwilliger, 1978), In some habitats, Baird’s tapirs are important seed dispersers. Michigan State University. Baird’s tapirs are likely to be monogamous, considering the seasonal stability of their habitat. Meanwhile, since populations in different habitats use different amounts of fruit, their role varies greatly among specific regions. They have round bodies, short legs and stubby tails, sort of like a hippo. Epiphytes and climbing plants are also abundant. In addition, T. bairdii is especially at risk of population fragmentation because they exist solely within the narrow Central American isthmus. In 2013, a new species of this genus was discovered. Convergent in birds. : McGraw-Hill. tapir - tapir stock illustrations. The tapir is the largest land mammal in Central America. Natural history of Baird's Tapir on Barrow Colorado Island, Panama Canal Zone. In certain parts of their range, Baird’s tapirs serve as key seed dispersers of the plants they consume. … Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Hunting pressure is especially harmful to T. bairdii populations due to their low reproductive rates. This includes: 500-600 mature individuals in the Mosquitia area of Honduras and Nicaragua; approximately 600-800 mature individuals in the forest of Indio-Maiz of Costa Rica and Panama; about 1,000-1,500 individuals in the Maya Forest of Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. (Foerster and Vaughan, 2002; Nowak, 1999; Sanderson, 1961; Terwilliger, 1978), Due to the seasonal stability of their habitat, it has been suggested that Tapirus bairdii individuals form long-term monogamous pairs in which the pairs defend a territory. Malayan tapirs (Tapirus indicus), a Southeast Asian tapir species, mature at three years and Brazilian tapirs (T. terrestris) have been known to conceive as early as 23 months and given birth as old as 28 years. These animals are hard to see in the wild due to their cautious and quiet behavior. at www.iucnredlist.org. Currently, Baird’s tapirs are classified as Endangered (EN) and their numbers continue to decrease. EVANSVILLE, Ind. There are only five currently existing tapir species in the genus … Their lifespan typically ranges … Tapirs also sometimes forage in agricultural areas and have been known to damage corn and other grains. For example, Baird's tapirs have lost nearly all of their forest range in El Salvador. (de Magalhaes, et al., 2005; Nowak, 1999), Baird’s tapirs are largely nocturnal but can be active during the day as well. It is flexible like an elephant's trunk. Based on population density and distribution, T. bairdii is listed as the tenth rarest Neotropical forest mammal. These mammals are known to be extremely agile creatures. Year-round, the peak prior to rainy seasons, 2. They have specific routes within their home ranges, which they use every day. The tapir is considered a “living fossil,” since the fossil record suggests that its basic body shape has changed very little in the last 35 million years. Indeed, tapirs are a bit of a hodge-podge. Several populations have been severely reduced through forest loss and hunting. Biotropica, 10: 211-220. However, its distinctive long proboscis is likely a more recent adaptation. Today they are found in isolated populations in the same range. Size: Nowak, R. 1999. In fact, Baird's tapirs have already lost much of their original range. Disclaimer: rainforests, both temperate and tropical, are dominated by trees often forming a closed canopy with little light reaching the ground. 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