You may know tapirs from the zoo, but many people have never heard of this unique animal. The tapir looks a bit like a large wild boar but is more closely related to the rhinoceros and horses as these species are all odd-toed ungulates.
Tapirs have been around for a very long time. Scientists estimate that tapirs have lived on our planet for about 50 million years and have hardly changed to this day. The large animals are relatively strong and depending on the species can be up to 7 feet long, 4 feet high and weigh up to 830 pounds. The largest of them is the Central American tapir, also known as the Baird’s tapir. And not only that; it is also the largest wild mammal of the American tropics. They have a dark brown coat, with the cheeks and throat being more yellowish to gray in color. The massive body sits on four slender and comparatively short legs with a short trunk which is ideal for plucking leaves and sensing.
The Central American tapir is native to Ecuador through Colombia to southern Mexico but does best in the humid tropics and near bodies of water. The nocturnal loners hide in the dense undergrowth during the day and are good swimmers and love to wallow in the mud. The shy animals are difficult to spot and often flee into the water when threatened or stand still and rely on their good camouflage. The herbivores feed mainly on leaves, grasses, aquatic plants and fruits. With their highly sensitive nose, they can even distinguish poisonous from non-poisonous plants.
The tapir’s main enemies are pumas and jaguars but crocodiles and larger snakes will hunt mostly the young animals, however, humans are the greatest enemy. In the past, they were often hunted for their meat or fur. Deforestation is an increasing problem for tapirs. Today there are only around 5,000 animals left, which is why the IUCN classifies the tapir as “endangered”.
Tapirs have a relatively long gestation period of 390 to 400 days. The female usually only gives birth to a single young. Similar to a fawn, the fur of the young animal has light stripes and spots in order to be better camouflaged in the undergrowth. However, this coat color disappears in the course of the second half year of life. In order to find each other again, the tapirs communicate with each other with whistles which can vary in volume and pitch. They also make clicking and grunting noises. The mother takes care of her young for a year until they go their own way. At the age of three to four years, the tapir young becomes sexually mature and can reproduce. Tapirs can live up to 30 years in the wild and even a little longer in captivity.
Probably the best chance to observe a tapir in Costa Rica in its natural habitat is in Corcovado National Park. They have also been sighted in the Rincón de la Vieja and Tenorio National Park..
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