Tapir is ... Plain Tapir

Pedro Martir, at the beginning of the 16th century, described the tapir as: "the size of a bull, with an elephant's trunk and with the hooves of a horse." In fact, this animal in appearance is an amazing mixture: at the same time it looks like a pig, a pony or a rhinoceros with a trunk like an elephant, although shorter. In this article, we will talk in more detail about this interesting animal, which in many cases evokes tenderness.

Habitat

Tapir is a genus of large mammals belonging to a group of ungulates unidentified, allocated to a family of tapirs. In the language of one tribe of Brazil, the name of these animals means "fat", which directly relates to their skin.

Tapir is an animal that lives in Southeast Asia and Latin America. There, animals inhabit shrubs and swampy forests along the shores of lakes and rivers. Modern species are the remnants of a once-extensive group, whose area spread to the Northern Hemisphere as a whole. In America, these wild representatives of the ungulate ungulates are the only ones.

Appearance

Over the last 30 million years, the appearance of the tapir has not changed much. Today the plain tapir is very similar to his ancient ancestors. Somehow it resembles a horse, something of a rhinoceros. The tapir on the hind legs (three-fingered) and the front (four-fingered) legs are practically equine (they are similar even to microscopic details). On the legs there are also calluses located below the elbow joint, which are similar to chestnut horses. The American taper has a small mane on his neck. The upper lip, which is more mobile than the horse, is stretched into the proboscis. Animals are born in the outfit in which, apparently, the ancestors of various animals were walking around: intermittent light bands stretch from tail to head along the dark background of their skin. In the same way, "feet" are also painted.

Tapirs are closely packed animals with a stocky body that is covered with thick, short, usually black or brown hair. The height of the male at the withers is on average 1.2 m, length - 1.8 m, while the total weight - up to 275 kg. The muzzle, including the nose of the tapir and the upper lip, is extended into a small movable proboscis, which is used to tear off young shoots or leaves. The eyes are small, rounded ears stick out in the sides. The legs are short, the hind legs are three-toed, the front ones are four-fingered, and the limb axis in both cases passes through the third finger, which takes on the main load. Each finger ends with a small hoof. The tail is short, as if chopped off.

This is a fairly powerful animal, after which it was named the new ZIL "Tapir". By the way, the car received a fairly elongated muzzle, reminiscent of the appearance of the animal.

Food

Tapir is an animal that feeds on leaves of forest shrubs and aquatic plants. Tapirs perfectly dive, swim, can be very long under water, and in case of danger, they always seek salvation in it.

Chasprachny Tapir is a nightly secretive animal, preferring to hide in rain-covered dense forests. There are seasonal migrations - during the dry season they occur in the lowlands, while in the rainy season - and in the mountainous areas. For example, in Sumatra, animals were observed at altitudes of up to 1500 m in the mountains. Also, migrations can be associated with deteriorating fodder conditions and forest fires; Tapirs in Thailand in the dry season from deciduous trees migrate to evergreen forests. Increasingly, they began to meet on the fringes, felling and plantations.

Reproduction

The pairing of tapirs takes place all year round. Pregnancy lasts about 400 days, mostly 1 baby is born, but there are also twins. In American animals, babies are distinguished by the presence of white spots and longitudinal bands on the dark-brown skin. At 6 months of age, this pattern begins to disappear, in the same year the color becomes finally adult - monophonic. Tapirs live about 30 years.

It should be clarified that there are 3 species of this genus in America, but only one in Asia. The number of tapirs everywhere was greatly reduced due to clearing forests under the ground and hunting for animals. All species are protected and, not counting the plains, were included in the Red Book.

Plain Tapir

It is a brownish-black species with white spots on the chest, neck and throat. This species inhabits the forests of South America. Plain tapirs are mostly nocturnal. In the daytime they are removed into the thickets, at night they go out to find food. These animals know how to dive and swim well. In general, they are very cautious and fearful, in case of the slightest threat, they flee or try to hide in the water.

Plains tapirs, if necessary, are defended with the help of teeth, biting off the attacker. If two individuals meet, then their behavior relative to each other, as a rule, is aggressive. They mark their areas with urine, and for communications with relatives, different piercing sounds resemble whistles. They feed only on plants, preferring their softest parts. In addition to leaves, they consume kidneys, algae, fruits and twigs. The enemies of tapirs include crocodiles, jaguars and cougars.

Mountain tapir

This is the smallest representative of the genus. Mountain tapir is an animal that is found in the forests of Colombia and Ecuador. From the plain it differs blackish dense hair and lack of mane. This species in 1824-1827. During the studies of the Colombian Andes, French scientists Jean Baptiste Boussingault and Desiree Roulin described. They noted that this strange animal has a long wool, like a bear.

Mountain tapirs are solitary, active at night, which during the day are removed into the thickets of forests. They are wonderful climbers who also know how to dive and swim, in addition, they are very willing to dig in the mud. But it should be noted that these are very timid animals, in case of threat they often hide under water. These tapirs are also herbivores. They feed on branches, leaves and other parts of plants.

Chapper Tapir

The Chapper Tapir can be seen in the south-eastern part of Asia, more precisely, in Thailand, in the southeastern part of Burma, on the peninsula of Malacca, moreover, on the neighboring islands. Its anterior part of the body, as well as the hind legs, have a brownish-black coloration, and the middle (from the shoulders to the base of the tail) is cream-white, as if covered with a cape (blanket). This is a vivid example of the so-called patronizing "dismembering" coloration, which perfectly masks the animal with moonlit nights in the jungle, when the entire plant world is a black and white continuous pattern.

Chaprachny tapir also perfectly dives and swims, but he even mates in the water, and plunging completely, can wander on the bottom of the lakes. He constantly falls out in the mud, thereby getting rid of parasitic insects and mites.

Central American tapir

This is a large beast of blackish-brown monophonic color. It occurs in the territory from Mexico to Panama. Very similar in appearance to his relatives from South America, although it differs from them in the details of the structure.

In the Central American tapir, the height at the withers is 120 cm, and the weight is 300 kg, and the body length is 200 cm. With such indicators, it is considered not only the largest tapir of the New World, it is also the largest wild mammal of the tropics of America. It resembles externally on the plain tapir, while, in addition to larger sizes, it has a shorter mane on the back of the head.