SOUTH AMERICAN TAPIR

About the Tapir

Did you know that 3 tapirs were found 300mts away from Tambopata Research Center?

The South American tapir (Tapirus terrestris), also commonly called the Amazonian tapir, and in mixed Quechua and Spanish Sachavaca, is one of the five species in the tapir family. The South American tapir is the largest surviving native terrestrial mammal in the Amazon.

Facts about the tapir in Tambopata

• Is an excellent swimmer and diver, but also moves quickly on land, even over rugged, mountainous terrain: It has a life span of approximately 25 to 30 years. In the wild, its main predators are crocodilians (only the black caiman and Orinoco crocodile, the latter of which is critically endangered, are large enough to take these tapirs and large cats, such as the jaguar and cougar, which often attack tapirs at night when tapirs leave the water and sleep on the riverbank. The South American tapir is also attacked by the green anaconda (Eunectes murinus). T. terrestris is known to run to water when scared to take cover.


• Is an herbivore: Using its mobile nose, it feeds on leaves, buds, shoots, and small branches it tears from trees, fruit, grasses, and aquatic plants. This is known because the diet is studied through observation of browsing, analysis of feces, and studying stomach contents.


• They mate in April, May, or June, reaching sexual maturity in the third year of life: Females go through a gestation period of 13 months (390–395 days) and will typically have one offspring every two years. A baby tapir weighs about 15 pounds (6.8 kilos) and will be weaned in about six months.

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Source: Wikipedia