The Baird's Tapir (Tapirus bairdii) is a large South American ungulate featured in the Standard Edition of Planet Zoo.
Zoopedia Description[]
General[]
Population in the Wild: 5,500
Baird's tapir (or Tapirus bairdii) is an endangered mammal native to the woodlands of Central America. It's one of five species of tapir - four of which live in Central and/or South America. Males and females are similar sizes, although females are slightly larger, and both have a dark brown to black coat, as well as a pale chin and chest when fully grown. Calves, meanwhile, are tan with white spots and stripes; their colouration provides them with camouflage in the dappled light of the woodland where they live.
The main threat to this endangered species is deforestation, which is destroying their habitat. In order to try and reduce this, conservationists are heavily concentrated on protecting the woodlands and rainforests of Central America. Hunting is also a threat - despite it being illegal to hunt tapirs in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama, these laws are rarely enforced.
Social[]
Baird's tapirs are often solitary but may also be found in monogamous pairs with their young offspring, or in temporary feeding groups.
Reproduction[]
A male tapir will track the scent of a female's urine when she moves through his territory. When they meet, he will court her by nudging, sniffing her hindquarters and chasing her. If the female is receptive, she will allow him to mount her and mate, which they will do several times throughout the day while she is fertile. The two will then either stay together or go their separate ways.
After a pregnancy of 13 months, the mother will give birth to a single calf, which for the first week of its life remains hidden in the undergrowth. The mother will return often to feed the calf, before it can then accompany its mother to forage when it's a week old. They remain with their mother for one or two years, depending on when their mother has another calf.
Animal Care[]
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PREFERRED OBJECTS | |
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Hay · Fruit · Root Vegetables and Salt Licks | |
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FEEDING STATIONS | |
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FOOD ENRICHMENT |
HABITAT ENRICHMENT |
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COMPATIBLE ANIMALS |
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Trivia[]
Zoopedia Fun Facts[]
- Baird's tapir is the largest land mammal in Central America.
- The closest evolutionary relative of the tapir is the rhino.
- A group of tapirs is known as a 'candle'.
- Tapirs are important seed dispersers in their environment due to their varied diet and wide-ranging foraging behavior.
- Tapirs are excellent swimmers and spend large parts of their day in water. When swimming, they can use their prehensile snout as a snorkel.
Other Trivia[]
- The Baird's Tapir is the national animal of Belize
Gallery[]
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