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| Baird's Tapir | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| General information | |||
| Universe | Real Life | ||
| Aliases | Anteburro Cash-i-tzimin (Jungle Horse) Danta Ekwilamakkatola Ekwirmakka Macho de monte Moli Mountain Cow Niguanchan Oloalikinyalilele Oloalikinyappi Oloswikinyaliler Tzemen | ||
| Classification | Tapirus bairdii | ||
| Species type | Tapir | ||
| Homeworld | Earth | ||
| Environment | Central America South America | ||
| Intelligence | Non-sapient | ||
| Biochemistry | Carbon-based lifeform | ||
| Biological information | |||
| Lifespan | Over 30 years | ||
| Reproduction | Sexual | ||
| Average height | 1.2 m (3.9 ft) | ||
| Average weight | 150 to 400 kilograms (330 to 880 lb) | ||
| Average length | 2 m (6.6 ft) excluding tail Tail: 7–13 cm (2.8–5.1 in) | ||
| Feeding behavior | Herbivore | ||
| Predators | Human American Crocodile Jaguar | ||
| Lineage information | |||
| Cultural information | |||
| Alignment | Neutral | ||
| Personality | Nocturnal herbivore Adults may be aggressive | ||
| Organization | Normally solitary Feeding groups not uncommon | ||
| Sociocultral characteristics | |||
| Scientific taxonomy | |||
| Planet | Earth | ||
| Domain | Eukaryota | ||
| Kingdom | Animalia | ||
| Phylum | Chordata | ||
| Class | Mammalia | ||
| Order | Perissodactyla | ||
| Family | Tapiridae | ||
| Genus | Tapirus | ||
| Species | bairdii | ||
| Other information | |||
| Status | Endangered | ||
Baird's Tapir (Tapirus bairdii) is a species of tapir native to Central America and northern South America. It is the largest land mammal in Central America.
Description[]
Baird's tapir has a distinctive cream-colored marking on its face and throat and a dark spot on each cheek, behind and below the eye. The rest of its hair is dark brown or grayish-brown. This tapir is the largest of the three American species and the largest native land mammal in both Central and South America. Baird's tapirs average up to 2 m (6.6 ft) in length, not counting a stubby, vestigal tail of 7–13 cm (2.8–5.1 in), and 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in height. Body mass in adults can range from 150 to 400 kilograms (330 to 880 lb). Like the other species of tapirs, they have small, stubby tails and long, flexible proboscises. They have four toes on each front foot and three toes on each back foot.
Lifecycle[]
An adult and juvenile Baird's Tapir.
The gestation period is about 400 days, after which one offspring is born. Multiple births are extremely rare. The babies, as with all species of tapir, have reddish-brown hair with white spots and stripes, a camouflage which affords them excellent protection in the dappled light of the forest. This pattern eventually fades into the adult coloration.
For the first week of their lives, infant Baird's tapirs are hidden in secluded locations while their mothers forage for food and return periodically to nurse them. Later, the young follow their mothers on feeding expeditions. At three weeks of age, the young are able to swim. Weaning occurs after one year, and sexual maturity is usually reached six to 12 months later. Baird's tapirs can live for over 30 years.
Behavior[]
Baird's tapir may be active at all hours, but is primarily nocturnal. It forages for leaves and fallen fruit, using well-worn tapir paths which zig-zag through the thick undergrowth of the forest. The animal usually stays close to water and enjoys swimming and wading—on especially hot days, individuals will rest in a watering hole for hours with only their heads above water.
It generally leads a solitary life, though feeding groups are not uncommon and individuals, especially those of different ages (young with their mothers, juveniles with adults) are often observed together. The animals communicate with one another through shrill whistles and squeaks.
Adults can be potentially dangerous to humans and should not be approached if spotted in the wild. The animal being most likely to follow or chase a human for a bit, though they have been known to charge and gore humans on rare occasions.
Predation[]
An adult Baird's tapir, being such a massive mammal, has very few natural predators. Only large adult American crocodiles (4 metres or 13 feet or more) and adult jaguars are capable of preying on tapirs, although even in these cases the outcomes are unpredictable and, more often than not, in the tapir's favor (as is evident on multiple tapirs documented in Corcovado National Park with large claw marks covering their hides).