Malayan tapir
Did you know?
Tapirs may look quiet, but they make a lot of noise! When excited (especially by another tapir) they make sneezing hiccups, high-pitched squeals and ear-piercing whistles.
Discover Tapirs
Meet our tapirs
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Eating
(and predators!)
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Tapirs are herbivores: they eat tender leaves, shoots and fruit from various plants.
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Their main predators are humans, who hunt them for meat, and tigers.
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Born dotty
to blend in.
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After a 13-14 month gestation period, females give birth to a single calf.
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A tapir calf is born with extra rows of white dots (like a watermelon) to help it blend with its surroundings.
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Climbing, galloping
and a snorkel nose.
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Tapirs are mostly nocturnal and often solitary, though they sometimes live in pairs. They are good climbers, runners and swimmers.
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Long and flexible, a tapir's nose is used for grabbing leaves while foraging, and even as a snorkel while swimming!
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Protecting tapirs
THE THREAT: These rare mammals are living fossils – they’ve been around since the Eocene age, superbly adapted for forest survival. Now, however, they are endangered. Their forest is disappearing, thanks to human roads, farms and logging. They’re also poached for their meat.
TAKE ACTION: Much of southeast Asia’s rainforest destruction is to make room for palm oil plantations. Check products you use for sustainable palm oil, and encourage companies to make the switch. Send a letter, email or tweet, and download a Palm Oil Shopping App.
Jungle Stories
On a cold, wet November morning, veterinary technician Julie Lemon is lying on her stomach on a hard floor. Angling her head, she carefully positions a small metal wand between the hard, pointy toes of a tapir, who’s anesthetized and sleeping soundly in his den. Then she presses a button, and a stream of pink … Continued
How does it feel to be the oldest siamang – probably – in North America? Well, for Cho Cho, snuggled up with his companion Dudlee on a crisp fall morning at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, it seemed pretty cozy. This year Cho Cho is celebrating his 51st birthday – which makes him the oldest … Continued
Endangered Malayan tapirs Yuna and Baku strolled around one of the Asian Forest Sanctuary exhibits on Wednesday afternoon, grazing on grasses – and keeping a secret. Not even the birds perched in the nearby trees would tweet the news. But we can let you in on this uber-exciting development today. Hooray! Hooray! A baby tapir … Continued