Malayan Tapir

Tapir malayo

The color pattern of this animal allows it to become almost invisible in the jungle at night. The jungle looks black and white in the moonlight.

The tapir enjoys water and swims very well. Under water, it can breathe through the nostrils at the end of its nose. Humans hunt tapirs for food and sport. Agriculture has reduce their habitat. As a result all 4 species of this animal are now endangered.

Fun Facts

The tapir is relative of horses and rhinoceros.
When Malayan tapirs are born they exhibit a very different looking coat compared to their adult counterparts. Multiple stripes actually run along the length of their body.
The El Paso Zoo is home to a pair of Malayan tapirs.
Tapir’s have an elongated upper lip and nose, making a prehensile snout similar to the trunk of an elephant.

Classification

Class: Mammalia

Order: Perissodactyla

Family: Tapiridae

Genus: Tapirus

Species: indica

Habitat

You can find tapirs in tropical lowland swamps, and in montane and hill forests. They prefer dense, primary forests. The tapir ranges through Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand south to Malaysia and Sumatra.