Tapir Tapirus indicus Class: Mammalia (Mammals) Order: Perissodactyla Family: Tapiridae Genus: Tapirus Species: indicus Distribution:

Mexico, Central America, South America, and Asia Habitat: swamps, forests, and rain forests Diet: Insects, fruit, berries, and leaves, Adult tapirs are large enough that they have few natural predators, and the thick skin on the backs of their necks helps to protect them from threats such as jaguars, crocodiles, anacondas and tigers. The creatures are also able to run fairly quickly, considering their size and cumbersome appearance, finding shelter in the thick undergrowth of the forest or in water. However, tapirs have no reliable defense against humans, by far the greatest threat to their survival. Hunting for meat and hides has substantially reduced their numbers and, more recently, massive habitat loss has resulted in the conservation watch-listing of all four species:both the Brazilian Tapir and the Malayan Tapir are classified as vulnerable; and the Bairds Tapir and the Mountain Tapir are endangered. Tapirs tend to prefer old growth forests and the food sources that can be found in them, making the preservation of primary woodlands a top priority for tapir conservationists. Interesting facts: The Malayan tapir is the largest of the species and is distinguished by its unusual coloration. The word "tapir," translated from a Brazilian Indian language, means "thick," referring to the animal's tough hide The four species of tapirs are most closely related to horses and rhinos, since each toe (four toes on each front foot, three on each back foot has its own separate hoof. Tapirs are related to horses and rhinos, not to pigs.