In Belize, they are commonly known as “mountain cow” or “danta” 8. Baird’s tapir is the largest indigenous mammal in Central America. The Tapir (Tapirus Bairdii) is the largest land mammal of Central America. IUCN 2006. about It’s World Tapir Day! ... Tapirs in the wild do have predators, typically large cats, though this effect on their population is tiny compared to that of human predation and habitat consumption. Both the distribution and population size of the Baird’s tapir has suffered dramatic reduction in the past decades. For each action, we asked experts for each species to assess the extent to which that action is being carried out and how much of the species’ range that action occurs in. Additionally, there was a study that showed a small population of Baird's tapir in North American and Central American zoos had … This wordcloud illustrates the threats facing this species. Michael Dee Mountain Tapir Conservation Grant, © Copyright - IUCN/SSC Tapir Specialist Group. We then combined the scores for all actions into an overall conservation attention score for the species. Population in the Wild: 5,500 [Year 2006] Baird's tapir (or Tapirus bairdii) is an endangered mammal native to the woodlands of Central America. It lacks the mane or crest indicative of the lowland tapir, but has a similar brown short coat. Baird’s tapirs live in rainforests, lower montane forests, deciduous forests, flooded grasslands and marsh areas. When Milton passed away at age 30 last year, he was the oldest Baird’s tapir within the AZA managed population. López y Cia, Tegucigalpa, Honduras. TOBLER, M.W. They eat a variety of leaves, twigs, fruit and seeds. If cornered, however, a tapir runs directly at its predator. Tapirs – Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. The lifespan of a Baird’s Tapir is up to 22 years. Serie Monográfica No.1. Climate change is likely also causing an increase in the severity of droughts in Mexico’s Calakmul Reserve, resulting in a steep decline in tapir populations. Baird’s tapir is the largest indigenous mammal in Central America. REID, F. 1997. It is primarily nocturnal. Deaths have been recorded through collisions with automobiles, particularly in Belize. NARANJO, E. 1994. Primarily solitary, the species forms occasional associations with others and for breeding. There are four species of tapir. The. Tapirs are a ‘primitive’ group that resemble the ancestor of rhinos and horses, and have remained morphologically similar for the last 35 million years. Tesis de Posgrado, Programa Regional de Manejo de Vida Silvestre para Mesoamerica y el Caribe. The habitat preferences and social structure of tapirs. (English, Spanish, Portuguese.) 3. p. 468-474. USA. Biotropica. Baird’s Tapir is characterised by a long, fleshy nose, like a shortened version of an elephant’s trunk. www.uicnredlist.org. Written with the help of Keith Williams and Manolo Garcia, Tapir Specialist Group members. FOERSTER, C. 1998. 9. There are only five currently existing tapir species in the genus Tapirus, the only genus in the family Tapiridae. South American Tapir By Marla Lise Scientific Name: Tapirus terrestris The South American tapir or the Brazilian tapir is the second largest mammal in South America, second to its cousin, the Baird’s Tapir. The population estimates have had a reduction 50% in three decades and the central America region has had a reduction of 70% of forest cover in 40 years (Garcia et al. The baird’s tapir whistles to communicate with its young and to announce its territory to rivals. LIRA T. I., NARANJO P., E. y REYES Ch., 2005. Unfortunately some localized groups of Baird’s tapir have already become completely extinct such as the population that used to reside in El Salvador. Principal Office England – Company Number RC000749 – Registered address Regent’s Park, London, England NW1 4RY. The experts also judged how important each category was to the conservation of that particular species. Mountain Tapir. It is flexible like an elephant's trunk. Baird, an American naturalist who identified the animal while on a Mexican expedition in 1843. Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) is endangered primarily because of habitat loss and fragmentation, and overhunting throughout its distribution range. Recent studies have grouped all possible conservation activities for any species into nine key categories (Washington et. GAMERO, I. Ampliación del área de distribución de Tapirus bairdii, Gill 1865 (Perissodactyla: Tapiridae) en Oaxaca, México. Third International Tapir Symposium. There are four tapir species, with the Lowland Tapir, Baird’s Tapir, and Mountain Tapir being located in Central and South America. There is no evidence of one tapir claiming an exclusive territory. 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