Tapirs

Tapirs are a living fossil

They have been around since the Eocene, having survived waves of extinction of other animals.

Tapirs are the Gardeners of the Forest

They represent a unique biology as well as a vital role in the ecosystems they inhabit, from dispersing seeds to digging burrows used by many other species for refuge.

Tapirs have been in sharp decline

Once widely abundant in their habitats, tapir populations have been in sharp decline in recent decades, leading to three of the four species becoming listed as Endangered.

THREATS

The future of tapirs is threatened due to rapid decline and fragmentation of their habitat due to deforestation, agriculture and human habitation. Fire, hunting, roadkill and contamination by pesticides and heavy metals have also contributed to their loss.

The Tapir Specialist Group supports the study of tapirs and their habitat, in order to gain a better understanding of their biology and perspectives on the most successful methods to guarantee their long term survival in the wild.

WHY WE NEED TO CONSERVE TAPIRS

Tapirs are the Gardeners of the Forest! They are responsable for the creation and maintenance of biodiversity. A forest without a tapirs is certainly last biodiverse. Tapirs are a living fossil; they’be been around since the Eocene (50 millions of years), having survived waves of extinction of other animals. They are South America’s largest native land mammal, with adults ranging in size from 300-700 pounds.

OUR NUMBERS

Check out some of our numbers around the world!

Members

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of our members hail from developing countries

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Countries Represented

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decades working on tapir conservation

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