Who are tapirs? (8 photos). Black-backed or Malayan tapir (lat.

Tapirs live in Central America, South America and in South-East Asia. They belong to the order Perissodactyls.

There are 4 types left: Mountain tapir, the Plains Tapir, the Central American Tapir - all of which live in America, and the Black-backed Tapir, which lives in Asia.

Color from dark brown to dark brown and even black is inherent in American species. The saddleback has a more elegant coloration; there is a single large white spot on the back and sides and belly of the animal.

The tips of the ears are painted with a thin white stripe. The skin is thick, durable with short hairs.Everyone has a heavy body in short slender legs, elongated head and very short tail. There are small eyes on the muzzle that have poor vision.

The ears are rounded and short, everyone can hear well. The muzzle ends with a movable small proboscis, at the end of which there is a snout. There are many sensitive whiskers (vibrissae) around it. The animal's sense of smell is excellent.

Body length from 1.7 to 2.3 meters, height at withers from 1.8 to 2.2 m, weight from 150 to 320 kg. The hind legs have three toes, the front legs have four, and all the toes have small hooves.

Eating plant foods– leaves, herbs, fruits and berries. While in the water, they feed their bodies with algae. They are good at swimming, diving, running fast and jumping quickly.

They prefer night or twilight activity. They easily stand on their hind legs to get juicy leaves from the trees, using their animal ingenuity to overcome barriers of fallen trees. He either crawls under the trunk or jumps over it.

He has many enemies - this, and. Sensing trouble, the tapir flees or hides in the water. If there is no way out, it defends itself using its teeth. Man also contributed by hunting it for its tasty meat.

During the mating season, males look for females, inviting them with a sharp whistle or cough. But black-backed females, unlike American ones, right moment They are looking for a partner for themselves.

After the couple's short walks together, pregnancy occurs, which lasts about 13 months. One strong newborn is born, weighing from 5 to 10 kg (depending on the type of animal).

Niramin - Mar 13th, 2016

Tapirs (lat. Tapirus), animals that appearance vaguely resemble a pig. This is the same order of equids. Basic distinctive feature Tapir can be called a small trunk with which animals capture food. They live in South and Central America and southeast Asia.

The tapir is a fairly large animal. Adults reach a length of up to 2 meters and a weight of up to 300 kg. IN wildlife they live up to 30 years. They live where there is water nearby. Rivers, lakes and artificial reservoirs are suitable. Water not only gives the tapir the opportunity to feed on aquatic plants, it safe haven from natural enemies who dream of eating a pig with a trunk, but also a kind of spa salon. The fish that live in the pond are able to clean the skin of a tapir.

In addition to what grows in water bodies, tapirs also feed on forest products. Leaves, berries and other forest vegetation are suitable for the animal's table.

The genus of animals is ancient, but, unfortunately, disappearing. It's the man's fault. Both meat and skin of the tapir are valued. In addition, as a result of pregnancy, which lasts about 400 days, most often one cub is born. Tapirs simply cannot keep up with human appetites.

The baby has an interesting striped coloring. It helps it blend in with the surrounding landscape, but by about six months the animal acquires an adult coloration.

Nowadays, only 5 species of tapir remain: four American (Lowland Tapir, Mountain Tapir, Central American Tapir, Kabomani Tapir) and one Asian (Black-backed Tapir).

Plains tapirs lead predominantly night look life. Their mountain, in particular Andean relatives, are daytime.

Look beautiful photos tapirs different types:

Photo: Tapirs with a baby.







Photo: Central American tapir

Photo: Black-backed tapir.

Photo: Mountain tapir

Photo: Lowland tapir

Photo: Kabomani tapir.

Video: TAPIRS are the oldest animals that survived the ICE AGE.

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The tapir is a herbivore belonging to the order of odd-toed ungulates. All tapirs are united into one genus, in which there are 4 species. This animal is very ancient and has lived on Earth for about 60 million years. Previously, it was widespread throughout the planet, but today it lives only in South America and the southeastern regions of Asia. At the same time, the population size is very low and is in danger of extinction.

This is the most close-up view of all tapirs and the only one living in Asia. It lives on the island of Sumatra and the Malacca Peninsula. Individual representatives of the species are found in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. Just 150 years ago, this animal was common in Indochina, but now it lives only in separate areas, isolated from each other.

This animal has a large light gray spot (saddle cloth) on its back and sides. This is where the name came from. The rest of the body is black except for the tips of the ears, which are the same light gray color as the saddle cloth. This color camouflages the animal well. From a distance it can be mistaken for big Stone. The fur is short and the skin is thick and rough. It is thickest on the neck and head and serves as protection from the teeth of predatory animals.

The physique is massive, the legs are strong. The muzzle ends in a small flexible trunk. It consists of the upper lip and nose fused together. The tail is short and reaches a length of 7-10 cm, on the front legs there are 4 toes, on the hind legs there are 3 toes. The black-backed tapir has a very poor vision, but he has well-developed hearing and sense of smell. As for size, females are slightly larger than males. Body length ranges from 1.8 to 2.5 meters. The height at the withers is 90-110 cm. Body weight is 270-320 kg. There are some individuals weighing up to 500 kg.

Pregnancy lasts 390 days. 1 cub is born weighing about 7 kg. His fur is chestnut and is diluted with light spots and stripes. It acquires adult coloration at 7 months of age. Milk feeding lasts 8 months. Puberty occurs at the age of 3 years. The black-backed tapir lives in the wild for about 30 years. It feeds on plant foods and can cause some damage to agricultural crops, which causes human dissatisfaction.

Lowland or South American tapir

The lowland tapir lives in tropical forests Amazonia east of the Andes. Its habitat extends from Venezuela and Colombia to Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. In the west, the animal lives in Peru and Ecuador. The coat color is dark brown. The belly and legs are lighter than the sides and back. The tips of the ears are edged with gray fur. The saddle cloth is missing. It is the prerogative of only the Asian species, and Americans are deprived of it.

The animal reaches 1.8-2.5 meters in length. Height at the withers is 80-110 cm. Average body weight is 230 kg. The maximum weight reaches 330 kg. There is a small mane in the back of the head. The physique is muscular, the legs are strong and strong. There are 4 toes on the front legs and 3 on the hind legs. Representatives of this species are excellent swimmers and divers. Life expectancy is 25 years. Centenarians live up to 30 years.

This tapir has a lot of enemies. The main ones are the black caiman, puma, jaguar and anaconda. In case of danger, animals immediately run to the water to escape the teeth of large predatory cats. But with crocodiles and anacondas it is more difficult. They hunt well in water. Therefore, poor mammals live between 2 fires.

The lowland tapir leads a solitary lifestyle. However, this is inherent in all representatives of the genus. The animal marks its territory with urine and does not allow strangers into it. The diet consists of plant foods. In addition to branches and fruits, algae are also eaten. Pregnancy lasts 390 days. One cub is born weighing up to 7 kg. Milk feeding lasts 8 months. Puberty occurs at 3-4 years.

The mountain tapir is a native inhabitant of the Andes. It lives in Colombia, in northern regions Peru and Ecuador. It is a resident of mountain forests and plateaus. The animal lives at an altitude of 2 thousand meters to 4.5 thousand meters above sea level. The habitat extends to perpetual glaciers. This species does not live among snow.

The coat is black or dark brown. Quite often it is diluted blonde hair, interspersed with black wool. In the belly area the fur is lighter, the same is observed on the cheeks. The lips are framed by a white stripe. The same stripes are present on the tips of the ears. This animal, given its habitat, has long and fluffy fur. The body length reaches 1.8 meters. The height at the withers is 75-100 cm. Weight ranges from 150 to 220 kg. Females are on average 10% heavier than males. There is a flexible proboscis and tail. The number of toes is similar to other species.

The diet consists of leaves, branches and fruits of plants. Pregnancy lasts 390 days, one baby is born weighing about 6 kg. Milk feeding lasts 5 months. Puberty occurs at 3 years of age. Life expectancy in captivity is 27 years. How long the mountain tapir lives in the wild is unknown.

Baird's tapir (Central American)

This species lives in Central America and covers a small area of ​​South America. It can be found both in the south of Mexico and in the north of Colombia and Ecuador. The animal is named after the American zoologist Spencer Baird. Prefers a solitary lifestyle, like its relatives. Lives in dense thickets. Swims and dives beautifully. In case of danger, it hides in the water. Feeds on plant foods.

The Baird's tapir has a short mane at the back of its head. The wool is dark brown. Cream-colored spots are observed on the cheeks and neck. The body is muscular, the tail is short, there is a small trunk, the number of toes is the same as in other species. The average body length reaches 2 meters. The height at the withers is 120 cm. Body weight ranges from 250 to 320 kg. There are individuals weighing up to 400 kg. This species is the most powerful among its American counterparts.

Pregnancy lasts 390 days. There is usually one baby in a litter. The color of its skin is reddish-brown with light spots and stripes. At 7 months of age the animal acquires adult coloration. Already at 3 weeks of age, the newborn swims perfectly. Milk feeding lasts 10 months. Puberty occurs at 3-4 years. life expectancy is 30 years. Some individuals even live up to 32 years. The point here is that Baird's tapir is a very cautious animal. It is very difficult to detect, both for humans and beasts of prey. Despite this, the number of the species is very low and amounts to only about 5 thousand individuals. Ruthless deforestation is taking its toll here. tropical forests and reduction natural environment a habitat.

The extraordinary animal tapir (you will see a photo, description and way of life in the article) combines the structure and color of several animals at once, and today “I and the World” will tell about this ancient inhabitant of the planet.

Ancient inhabitant of the planet

Who is this or could it be? This is an equid animal, of the order of animals and the family of tapirs, resembling a wild boar in color and structure. But instead of a snout, a proboscis grows on its face. And this boar-panda-elephant is called a tapir.

The length of its body can reach two meters or more, but is usually 20-25 cm shorter, and grows to a height of about 1 meter. Average weight– 270-300 kg.

The trunk makes the muzzle appear too elongated. With this nose, the tapir reaches for a treat; it can lengthen and then retract back. At its tip there are hairs that serve as an organ of touch. Hearing is also well developed, but the small eyes see rather poorly. Very sharp teeth grow on a fairly developed jaw.

Each species has a different color, and there are only five of them. Four live in America, and one in Asia - this is the black-backed tapir, whose skin is similar in color to a panda.

Living environment and habits

They live in dense areas, where it is very difficult to meet them - they hide in the most remote places and are very afraid of people. They prefer to be constantly near bodies of water, because water is their habitat, swimming, and protection from predators. Thanks to their ability to stay at the bottom for a long time, only when they sense an enemy, they rush into the water with a running start and walk along the bottom all the way to deep place. The tapirs stay at the bottom for some time, snacking on the plants of the pond.

They love to swim, and after taking a mud bath, you definitely need to rinse off in warm water. Each tapir walks around its territory along the paths it has trodden, and if it meets a relative, then everything can end in a fight. Although it usually ends in “sound” negotiations, because they know how to talk to each other.

At night they like to make forays into agricultural fields, eat sweet corn or something else. For this, farmers brutally shoot them. Tapirs are also killed because they are very tasty and soft meat.

During the breeding season, from the moment of courtship to birth, about a year passes, since pregnancy lasts almost 400 days. Only one cub is born weighing up to 8 kg. The coloring is reminiscent of baby wild boars: the same white stripes on a gray background. They grow quickly and within six months reach the size of an adult animal, and soon leave their mother for “ adult life».

Plains tapir

Small in stature and medium weight, dark brown in color. A stiff, erect mane grows between the ears and along the neck. It lives on the mainland of South America, where it flows. What does a plainsman eat? These are mostly leaves of trees and shrubs, aquatic plants, fruits and fruits that it reaches with its trunk. If it cannot reach something, it stands on its hind legs and rests against the trunk with its front legs.

American Center Resident

The Central American is the largest tapir in America, reaching a height of 120 cm and weighing up to 300 kg. The mane is very small, and the color is gray with a light spot on the front of the neck. Its lifestyle is similar to that of the plains, but it is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species.

Mountain Dweller

The mountain dog is the smallest, its length does not exceed 180 cm, weight 230-240 kg, and height at the withers is only 70-80 cm. The fur is dark brown, almost black, unlike other animals, soft, wavy, thick. Lives in the Andes, rising to altitudes of up to 4000 km. The way of life is unknown, because it can be found very rarely, therefore it is listed in the Red Book as very rare.

Asian view

It is also called Indian. The black-backed one is larger than all American ones and reaches a weight of just over 300 kg and a body length of more than 250 cm. With a long, strong trunk, powerful, strong legs. The middle of the body is grayish-white (saddle cloth), the remaining parts are black. It seems that this color is bright, but on a sunny day black-backed tapir difficult to notice. They live in the tropics of Sumatra, southern Thailand and Burma. The lifestyle is the same as other species.

Tapirs do well in captivity. For example, in the Moscow Zoo this animal coexists perfectly with wildebeests and giraffes.

Video

Now you know what an unusual and ancient animal looks like - the Tapir. It's a pity that their number is decreasing every year. And the main reason is extermination for meat. Now it is important to preserve these animals, which even survived the Ice Age.

Tapir is a uniquely beautiful animal belonging to the order of equids. In some ways it looks like a pig, but there are still differences. Tapir animal herbivore. This is a rather stately animal that has strong legs, a short tail and a slender neck. They are quite clumsy.

The peculiarity of this cute creature is its upper lip, which looks like a trunk. Maybe for this reason there is an opinion that tapirs descended from mammoths. They also have thick fur, its color depends on the type:

• Mountain tapir. This species is considered the smallest. They are dark brown or black in color. Wool protects it from ultraviolet radiation and cold. Its body length is approximately 180 cm. Its weight reaches 180 kg.

• black-backed tapir. The largest of the types. It is distinguished by grayish-white spots on the sides and back. Tapir weight reaches up to 320 kg, and body length up to 2.5 m.

• Plains tapir. A special feature of this type is the small withers at the back of the head. The weight reaches up to 270 kg, and the body length is 220 cm. It is black-brown in color, dark brown on the stomach and chest.

• Central American tapir. In appearance it is very similar to plains tapir, only larger, weight up to 300 kg, and body length up to 200 cm.

About 13 species of tapir have already become extinct. All females of the tapir family are larger than males and weigh more. Animal tapir character has a friendly and peaceful personality. He is very easy to tame. He is great with people and would make a wonderful pet.

In tapirs poor eyesight, so they move slowly, and the trunk helps to explore environment. Tapirs are playful and love to swim. For humans, tapirs are valuable because they have durable and wear-resistant skin, as well as superbly tender meat.

Asians nicknamed this animal the “dream eater.” This is because they firmly believe that if you carve a tapir figure from wood or stone, it will help a person get rid of nightmares and insomnia.

Habitat and lifestyle

Tapirs live mainly in areas with large vegetation. One type of tapir can be found in the southeastern part of Asia, the rest in Central America or in the warm part.

You can find tapirs in deciduous forests with high humidity, next to which there are bodies of water. They swim remarkably well, and even underwater. Tapirs love water and spend most of their lives in it. In particular, they swim to hide from the heat.

They are hunted on the plains, and... IN aquatic environment they are waiting. The most important enemy is the person who hunts them.

In addition, people cut down forests, which are so necessary for animals to survive. The number is significantly declining, so tapirs are included in the Red Book. Unique photo of tapirs can be found on the Internet.

All types of tapirs, except the mountain tapir, are active at night. The mountain one, on the contrary, leads a diurnal lifestyle. If the animal feels hunted, it will change its day life to night life. In this case find the tapir It's hard enough.

Despite their slowness, sensing danger, tapirs develop great speed. They also jump and crawl beautifully. The second is especially necessary in places where there are a lot of fallen trees. What is not at all typical for an equid animal, they even know how to sit on their butts.

Nutrition

As they said, tapirs are herbivores. Their diet includes leaves, buds, tree shoots, branches, fruits (about 115 various types plants). Because tapirs are wonderful divers, this makes it possible to collect algae from the bottom.

The biggest delicacy for tapirs is salt. For her sake, they are ready to travel a huge distance. Also, consuming chalk and clay, which is rich in macroelements, is beneficial for their health. In captivity, animals are fed fruits, grass, vegetables and concentrates necessary for nicking.

A great helper in eating food is the trunk. With its help, the animal picks leaves, collects fruits, and hunts underwater. In search of food, especially in dry times, tapirs can migrate long distances.

From a lack of vitamin D3 and ultraviolet radiation, tapirs may develop poorly and be stunted in growth, but this happens most often in captivity. Because of mass felling In the forests, tapirs are dying out from lack of food.

In some areas, tapirs can even cause damage. For example, on plantations where chocolate trees are grown. A friendly animal by nature, it tramples down tender plants and eats young leaves. They are also very fond of sugar cane, melons and mangoes. In captivity, tapirs can be fed the same food as pigs. They are partial to sugar and crackers.

Tapir reproduction and lifespan

The initiator of the creation family relations is a female. Mating in tapirs occurs throughout the year, and very often in water. Mating games among animals are quite interesting. When flirting, a male can run after a female for a long period of time.

Also, immediately before copulation, a pair of tapirs create characteristic sounds: grunting, squealing and whistles, but this does not always happen. Every year tapirs change their partners.

The female bears the offspring more than a year, almost 13-14 months. She prefers to give birth alone. One baby is born, sometimes two happen.

After birth, the baby's weight ranges from 5 to 9 kg (depending on the type). The female feeds her offspring with milk (this happens in a supine position), this period lasts about a year. After giving birth, the female and her baby live in dense bushes. After a few weeks, they emerge, and the baby’s diet gradually begins to be replenished with plant foods.

After the birth of their offspring, tapirs are difficult to distinguish from each other. They all have the same color, which consists of spots and stripes. In this form they are less visible to enemies. Over time (about 6-8 months), the babies begin to acquire the color of the species to which they belong.

Based on repeated studies, it can be concluded that puberty in a young tapir it occurs at the age of 1.5-2 years, in some species at 3.5-4 years. According to observations, the life expectancy of a tapir is approximately 30 years. The environment does not affect age, be it will or home maintenance.

Hunting tapirs is prohibited in all their habitats. But much to our disappointment, there is a large number of poachers. After all, reins and whips are made from the dense skin of this animal. For this reason, such magnificent and friendly animals as tapirs are on the verge of extinction. If the situation does not improve, then only pictures of tapirs.