Malayan Tapir
Gazella cuvieri
WILD STATUS
Endangered
Endangered
DISTRIBUTION
They are found throughout Southeast Asia including Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Sumatra. They are now extinct in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
SIZE
Height is from 79-107 cm (31”-42”)
Weight from 250-295 kg (550-650 lbs)
HABITAT
Malayan Tapir prefer dense primary rainforest and swamps. They are mainly active at night when they roam into the forest clearings and along riverbanks.
REPRODUCTION
A single calf is born every 18 months, living to approximately 25 years. All 4 species of Tapir are born with reddish brown coats dappled with white stripes for camouflage in the forest. At 2 months of age, the patterning starts to fade, and by 6 months of age they take on their adult colouring.
DIET
Malayan Tapir eat leaves, shoots, aquatic vegetation, grasses, buds and fruit.
A single calf is born every 18 months, living to approximately 25 years. All 4 species of Tapir are born with reddish brown coats dappled with white stripes for camouflage in the forest. At 2 months of age, the patterning starts to fade, and by 6 months of age they take on their adult colouring.
DIET
Malayan Tapir eat leaves, shoots, aquatic vegetation, grasses, buds and fruit.
INTERESTING TIDBITS
- Tapirs are in the same order as horses and rhinos.
- Malayan Tapir is the largest of the four tapirs: Mountain, Bairds, Lowlands and Malayan.
- The bold white and black patterning of the adults renders them almost invisible in the moonlight in the jungle and under the canopy of the forest in heavily dappled shade. Tapirs are mostly crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) and nocturnal.
- They are habitual when searching for food and follow the same paths. These routes and territories are sprayed with urine to mark the way so they don’t become lost in the jungle.
- Tapirs are excellent swimmers and divers and are able to remain submerged for several minutes.
- Humans are their main predators. Others include the big cats (tigers and leopards) of Southeast Asia.
- They are fast runners and swimmers, able to reach 35 km. on land and in water and are the only animal capable of equal speed on land and in water.
- They communicate by using a series of squeaks and fluting sounds.
- Malayan Tapirs have large canine teeth and can be extremely dangerous.
HABITAT RANGE
ANIMAL FACT SHEET
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