In the language of one of the South American tribes, tapir means "fat". So the local Indians called the tapir for its thick skin.

These representatives of the order of equids live in South America and southeast Asia. Animals prefer to settle near rivers and lakes in bushes and marshy forests.

The appearance of the modern tapir has changed little over 30 million years and almost does not differ from the appearance of its ancient ancestors. This animal combines the features of a horse and a rhinoceros. Like the horse, the tapir has hooves, and the certain types there is a small mane. The upper lip extended into the proboscis serves to capture leaves, aquatic plants and succulent shoots. The whole body of a tapir is dense, stocky, covered with thick short fur. Small eyes, round ears sticking out to the sides and a short, like a chopped off tail, give the animal a funny look.

Tapirs are skilled swimmers and divers, they can stay under water for a long time, escaping from persecution in a river or lake.

Tapirs have no definite mating season, and they mate at any time. After a pregnancy lasting 400 days, the female gives birth to 1, less often 2 babies.
The life expectancy of animals is 30 years.

Here is a video on the topic: Tapir and his "fifth leg")))

Most tapir species are listed in the Red Book, since the number of these animals in Lately decreased markedly due to hunting for them and deforestation.

plains tapir

Representatives of this species of tapirs live in forests. South America. During the day they rest in the forest thickets, and at night they feed on plant buds, algae, fruits, branches and leaves. In case of danger, these animals not only dive into the water, but also flee and can even defend themselves by biting the attacker.

Usually plains tapirs do not tolerate the presence of each other and warn relatives of their presence with the help of whistling sounds, or by marking the territory with urine.

Video: Tapir plays with a hose.

mountain tapir

The mountain tapir lives in the forests of Ecuador and Colombia. Unlike lowland tapir, the mountain tapir is much smaller and has no mane, and its coat resembles that of a bear.

These animals are nocturnal, climb rocks beautifully, love water and enjoy poking around in the swamp.

black-backed tapir

black-backed tapir lives in South-East Asia. This tapir has a peculiar coloration that camouflages it in the nighttime tropical forest. The hind limbs and the front of the animal are dark in color, and the middle of the body is light, resembling a blanket - a saddlecloth. Hence the name of the species.

Black-backed tapir (lat. Tapirus indicus) is an equid-hoofed mammal from the Tapir family (Tapiridae). It lives in Sumatra, as well as in Thailand, Vietnam, Burma and Malaysia. It is often referred to as the Indian or Malayan tapir.

This species was discovered by Europeans in 1819 and got its name from a white spot on the back of the body, called saddlecloth. The tapir family is represented by 4 species, of which 3 species (mountain, lowland and Central American) live in tropical forests Central and South America.

These amazing animals are considered relatives of rhinos and horses.

They are called living relics, they have been living on our planet for more than 35 million years and have practically not changed during this time. The fossil remains of these animals found in Great Britain date back to about 100 thousand years old. In those distant times, they were still widespread throughout the world.

In Asia, the black-backed tapir is valued not only for its tasty, pork-like meat, but is also considered the keeper of home comfort and a formidable repeller of evil spirits.

Behavior

This species lives exclusively in areas covered with dense tropical forests. There he finds a safe haven and an abundance of plant food. The lair is usually located near the source fresh water springs, rivers or lakes.

Tapirs can also settle in swampy areas, they love coolness and mud baths. In order not to get bogged down in the swamp, they spread their toes wide apart. Animals are excellent swimmers and can dive. Particularly impressive is their ability to walk underwater along the bottom of a reservoir like hippos. To inhale air, it is enough for them to expose only the tip of their elongated nose.

In case of danger, black-backed tapirs flee, able to easily climb steep hillsides. They belong to non-ruminant herbivores, feed mainly on young leaves of trees and shrubs, rarely eat fruits and herbaceous vegetation.

In the process of searching for food, tapirs continuously feel the ground with a sensitive short trunk, accurately identifying the smell of their relatives and predators.

They are convinced individualists, lead a solitary nocturnal lifestyle, and only mother and her funny cubs form family groups. Significant paths are laid in the forest, leading mainly to a watering place. They strenuously mark them, scattering urine around. When meeting a relative, they take a threatening stance, snort and bare their teeth.

The tapir's eyesight is poor, but its hearing and sense of smell are simply excellent. The wedge-shaped body allows him to move very quickly among dense thickets, having heard the slightest suspicious noise.

reproduction

The mating season takes place in April-May. At this time, partners in love tirelessly make lingering whistling sounds and gently bite each other's sides and ears. Pregnancy lasts about 400 days. Cute ones are born
the striped and nosed young are dark brown in color with many longitudinal white stripes.

The weight of newborn babies is 7-10 kg. Cubs grow very quickly and reach the dimensions of adult animals by 7 months. Upon reaching this age, the children's color begins to disappear.

Description

Body length 180-220 cm, height at withers 60-105 cm, weight 250-500 kg, tail 5-10 cm. Males usually fewer females. The number of teeth is 42 or 44. The head, front of the body and hind limbs are black. The back and sides are covered with grayish-white hair. The hairline is short and sparse.

The skin on the head and back of the neck, up to 25 mm thick, protects the animal from damage when moving in thickets and from bites of predators. A small trunk was formed as a result of the fusion of the nose and upper lip. Rear end above the withers. The massive body is distinguished by rounded outlines.

The legs are short, but very muscular and allow you to develop decent speed on short distances. The front ends with four, and the back with three fingers. The eyes are small, round, brownish. Occasionally there are specimens with a black color.

Black-backed tapirs easily get used to captivity and do well in zoos. IN vivo their numbers are constantly declining due to deforestation in Southeast Asia, so they are recognized as a vulnerable species. Since the middle of the last century, the previously popular trade in tapir meat has been banned in Thailand, the capture or sale of this animal can result in a fine of 5-6 thousand dollars. USA.

The life expectancy of the black-backed tapir is about 30 years.

The black-backed tapir, which is also called the Malay tapir, is the largest and at the same time, perhaps, the most beautiful in its family, which includes, in addition to it, three more species - the plain tapir, the mountain tapir and the Central American tapir.

Unlike its relatives, the black-backed tapir lives in Asia, and more specifically in Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra), Thailand and Burma. The mass of adult animals is approximately 250-320 kg.

Black-backed tapirs live in tropical forests. It feeds on foliage, grass, aquatic plants, as well as twigs and fruits.
Tapirs usually mate in April-May. Females bring offspring, as a rule, every year. Pregnancy lasts approximately 390 days, after which one baby is born, which weighs approximately 10 kg.

The cubs of the black-backed tapir have a variegated striped-spotted color, which over time (about the 5th month) gradually transforms into the color characteristic of this species. At first glance, such a strange color of a black-backed tapir seems strange - a white saddle immediately catches the eye on a general dark background. However, in dense tropical thickets, even on a sunny day, tapir is not so easy to spot. Black-backed tapirs reach sexual maturity at about three years of age.

The tapir's eyesight is not very sharp, but he has an excellent sense of smell and good hearing. In general, the lifestyle of the black-backed tapir is not much different from its American relatives.

Today, this amazing animal is quite rare and protected by law. The good news is that black-backed tapirs breed well in captivity, in which they can live for about 30 years.

The nature of tapirs is peaceful and flexible. These animals are easily tamed, especially if they are raised by humans from infancy. Hand tapirs are very playful and love to follow their master like dogs.

scientific classification:
Detachment: equids (Perissodactyla)
Family: tapirs (Tapiridae)
View: black-backed tapir (lat. Tapirus indicus)

According to legend, this animal was created from body parts of different animals. Let's look at a photo of a tapir, maybe it will tell us the secrets of this strange beast.

The genus of tapirs is represented by four species. One of them is the black-backed tapir (or Malayan tapir), and he will become the hero of this story.

Appearance of a tapir

These animals are somewhat remotely reminiscent of a pig, if you attach a trunk to it. Tapirs are not small. It is worth noting that black-backed tapirs are the largest of their kind.

The body length of these mammals is about 2.5 meters, and tapirs grow up to a meter in height.

Black-backed tapirs are the largest of all tapirs.

Adult individuals of the black-backed tapir weigh approximately 250 - 320 kilograms. The color of the Malayan tapir is black and white. The front part of the body, up to the middle of the back, and the hind legs are painted black. But the rest of the body is white.

On the muzzle of the tapir, there is a small trunk-shaped nose, which endowed the animal with a keen sense of smell.

Where does the black-backed tapir live?

These mammals of the tapir genus live in Southeast Asia, namely: in Thailand, on the island of Sumatra, in Myanmar and Malaysia.

Lifestyle and nutrition of an animal named tapir

The vision of tapirs is not well developed, but this is compensated by an excellent sense of smell. Tapirs are active at dusk and at night.

In general, tapirs are by nature very secretive and shy animals, despite their weighty size. Swimming is a special pleasure for tapirs, they are very fond of water and are happy to spend time in it.

The diet of black-backed tapirs consists of young foliage and a variety of shoots. In addition, tapirs can eat moss, grass and fruits.

Reproduction of black-backed tapirs and their life expectancy

In tapirs, the initiator of the formation of a pair is not a male, but a female. Strange feature, isn't it? After the formation of a "family" and mating, the female bears offspring for about 13 - 14 months! Yes, yes, the pregnancy of tapirs lasts that long!

Baby tapir - he is not at all similar in color to his parents.

After that, only one cub is born. At birth, the baby is painted in a spotted coloring, which completely changes by four months.

Well? Can you handle it? Call the name of this animal on the move!

Now let's see if you guessed right...

Photo 2.

Also in early XVI century Pedro Martyr - a contemporary of Columbus - wrote that the tapir was "the size of a bull, with the trunk of an elephant and with the hooves of a horse." And indeed, by appearance tapir is a very strange mixture: it simultaneously looks like a pony and a pig or a rhinoceros, to which nature has attached a trunk similar to an elephant, but shorter.

TAPIR(Tapirus), genus large mammals detachment of equids (Perissodactyla), allocated to a special family of tapirs (Tapiridae). The name of these animals in the language of one of the Brazilian tribes means "thick" and refers to their thick skin. Tapirs live in Latin America and Southeast Asia, where they inhabit marshy forests and shrubs along the banks of rivers and lakes. Modern views- the remains of a once vast group, the range of which extended to the entire Northern Hemisphere. They are the only wild equids in America.

Photo 3.

tapir animal

Over the past thirty million years, the appearance of the tapir has not changed much, and today it is very similar to the ancient ancestors - its own and horses. In some ways it resembles a rhinoceros, but in some ways it also resembles a horse. The tapir has hooves on three-toed (back) and four-toed (front) legs - almost horse-like (even similar in microscopic details). And there are calluses on the legs, below the elbow joint, similar to horse chestnuts. The American tapir has a small mane around its neck. More mobile than a horse, the upper lip is extended into a small proboscis. Tapirs will be born in an outfit in which, apparently, the ancestors of many animals walked: light intermittent stripes stretch along the dark background of the skin along from head to tail. The legs are painted the same way.

Photo 4.

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

Tapirs feed on aquatic plants and leaves. forest shrubs. They swim well, dive, can stay under water for a surprisingly long time and always look for salvation in it in case of danger.

Photo 5.

Animals are predominantly nocturnal; they wait out the heat of the day by lying in the thicket. They gravitate towards a solitary lifestyle and are rarely found in groups of more than three individuals. In nature, they have few enemies - the jaguar and puma in America, the tiger and leopard in Asia.

Tapirs breed all year round. Pregnancy lasts 390–400 days, and usually one calf is born, although twins do occur. In American tapirs, young ones are distinguished by many white longitudinal stripes and spots on a dark brown background. At the age of six months, this pattern begins to disappear, and in the year the color becomes adult - more or less uniform. The life span of tapirs is approximately 30 years.

Three species of this genus are represented in America, and one in Asia. Everywhere, tapir numbers have been greatly reduced by hunting and clearing forests for agricultural land. All species are protected to some extent and, except for the lowlands, are listed in the international Red Book.

Photo 6.

Photo 19.

Plains Tapir ( T. terrestris) is brownish-black with white spots on the throat, neck and chest. From the level of the ears along the entire neck stretches a stiff standing mane. This species inhabits the forests of northern South America. The locals highly value its meat and hunt the animal with dogs. The tapir runs badly, and if he does not have time to hide in the water, it is not difficult to get him, although he is able to fight back furiously, using his teeth. Stones are sometimes found in the stomach, which locals used as amulets.

Plain tapirs, like all members of the family, are predominantly nocturnal. During the daytime, they retire to dense thickets, and at night they come out in search of food. These animals can swim and dive well. In general, they are very shy and cautious, in case of a threat they seek shelter in the water or flee. If necessary, plains tapirs defend themselves with bites. If two individuals meet, then their behavior towards each other is, as a rule, very aggressive. They mark their ranges with urine, and piercing sounds similar to whistles are used to communicate with relatives. They feed exclusively on plants, while they prefer their soft parts. In addition to leaves, they eat algae, buds, branches and fruits. TO natural enemies include cougars, jaguars and crocodiles.

After pregnancy, which lasts from 385 to 412 days, the female gives birth, as a rule, to one cub, twins are extremely rare. Newborn plains tapirs weigh 4-7 kg, and their coat is dotted with light spots and stripes that serve as a camouflage. In the first days of life, they do not leave the closed shelter, but after a week they begin to accompany their mother when she searches for food. The camouflage color disappears at the age of 5-8 months, the cub weaned from milk at the age of 6 months, but remains with the mother for about a year. At the age of one and a half years, it reaches adult size, and at four years old it becomes sexually mature and capable of breeding throughout the year. Average duration The life of lowland tapirs is 25-30 years; in captivity, the oldest individual lived to be 35 years old.

Mountain Tapir ( T. pinchaque) is the smallest member of the genus. It is found in the highland forests of Ecuador and Colombia in the range of approximately 2000–4500 m above sea level. It differs from the plains tapir in its dense blackish coat, approx. 2.5 cm and the absence of a mane. This species was described during their explorations of the Colombian Andes in 1824–1827 by French scientists Desire Roulin and Jean Baptiste Boussengo. They reported that the strange animal had a long, bear-like coat, and Roulin presented a beautiful drawing of it.

mountain tapirs- These are loners active at night, which are removed during the day in the thickets of forests. They are excellent rock climbers, they can also swim and dive, and willingly dig in the mud. These are very timid animals that, in case of a threat, are often removed into the water. Mountain tapirs are herbivores and feed on leaves, twigs and other plant parts. After approximately 13 months of gestation, the female gives birth in most cases to one cub. It has a lighter coloration and a pattern with interrupted lines and spots, which serves as a disguise and is lost during the second half of life. At the age of approximately one year, the cub ceases to feed on milk and becomes independent, puberty occurs at the age of three to four years.

Central American tapir ( T. Bairdii) is a large beast of a monophonic blackish-brown suit. It is found from Mexico to Panama and from sea level to 1850 m. Outwardly, it is very similar to its South American relatives, but differs from them in structural details.

The height at the withers of the Central American tapir reaches 120 cm, the body length is about 200 cm, and the weight reaches 300 kg. With such indicators, it is not only the largest tapir in the New World, but also the largest wild mammal in the American tropics. Outwardly, it is similar to the plains tapir, but in addition to being larger in size, it has a shorter occipital mane.

Like relatives, Central American tapirs are solitary and active at night. During the day, they move into dense thickets. They are good swimmers and love to wallow in the mud. These are very timid animals that, feeling threatened, often plunge into the water. The food of Central American tapirs is vegetable and consists of leaves, fruits and branches.

Pregnancy is very long and lasts 390-400 days. The female usually gives birth to one cub, which, like all newborn tapirs, is colored in light camouflage stripes, disappearing during the second year of life. At the age of one year, a young tapir weans itself from milk and begins an independent life. Puberty occurs between the ages of three and four.

Photo 25.

Black-backed Tapir ( T. indicus) is found in southeast Asia, namely in the southeast of Burma, in Thailand, on the Malay Peninsula and neighboring islands. It is easily recognized by its two-tone skin. The entire front part of the body and hind legs are brownish-black, and the middle (from the base of the tail to the shoulders) is creamy white, as if covered with a blanket (saddle cap). This is an example of the so-called. "dissecting" protective coloration, which perfectly disguises the animal in the jungle on moonlit nights, when all vegetation is a solid black and white pattern.

The largest among tapirs: body length 1.8-2.4 m, height at the withers 0.75-1 m, weight 250-320 kg. The maximum known weight reached 540 kg. Females are usually larger than males. The cubs have a striped-spotted color, common for young tapirs, and only at the age of 4-7 months, light spots and stripes disappear and a saddlecloth forms.

The black-backed tapir is a secretive nocturnal animal that prefers to stay in dense rainforests. Seasonal migrations are known - during the dry season, tapirs are found in the lowlands, while during the rainy season - in the highlands. So, in Sumatra, tapirs were observed in the mountains at altitudes up to 1500-1200 m above sea level. Other migrations are associated with forest fires and deteriorating feeding conditions; In Thailand, tapirs migrate from deciduous to evergreen forests during the dry season. In the conditions of development of primeval forests, tapirs increasingly began to be found in clearings, forest edges and plantations.

Photo 7.

They feed mainly after sunset and before dawn, sometimes going out to open places and fields. Tapirs are non-ruminant herbivores. They feed mainly on young foliage (86.5% of the diet) and shoots, less often on grass, fruits, mosses, in general, eating about 115 plant species. They do not have specific feeding places. During wakefulness, the tapir moves through the forest, lowering its trunk to the ground; often zigzags. They lay well-marked paths in the forest, which are marked by spraying urine.

Mating takes place in April-May, less often in June, and is accompanied by a certain mating ritual. Excited tapirs make whistling sounds, circle around each other, bite each other on the ears and sides. According to some reports, during the breeding season, it is not the male who looks for the female, but the female for the male. Pregnancy lasts 390-407 days; females bring 1 cub weighing 6.8-10 kg ( the highest rates in the family). Black-backed tapir cubs grow faster than other tapirs, reaching adult size and becoming independent at 6-8 months of age. Then the spotted children's color is replaced by an adult. Sexual maturity is reached by 2.8-3.5 years. Life expectancy up to 30 years.

Photo 8.

In 1819 the father of paleontology and some others biological sciences, the famous French explorer Georges Cuvier recklessly stated that, in his opinion, all large animals have already been discovered by science. And a few years later he had to add a description of a new species to his Natural History large animal- a black-backed tapir, which was unexpectedly found suddenly in the forests of Southeast Asia. Before that, zoologists knew only South American tapirs.

The black-backed tapir is painted at first glance too noticeably and brightly. The head, neck, withers and legs are black, and the entire back, sides, belly, croup and thighs in the upper half are pure white - like a snow-white saddle thrown over the beast. The masking effect of this coloration is explained by an analogy with a zebra: contrasting tones, as it were, dismember the beast into shapeless spots, and the outlines of a quadruped that are familiar to the eyes merge with other color spots of the surrounding nature. This optical illusion is especially effective in the moonlight, at night, when tapirs (and American tapirs too) mostly roam the forests, feeding on leaves, branches and succulent stalks of marsh grasses.

Tapirs love water, they swim a lot and just lie, chilling, in shallow places. Pregnancy in tapirs is more than a year (13 months), and newborns - one and very rarely two. Standing on strong legs, the striped child immediately runs after the mother.

Tapirs are herbivores. Tapirs have four toes on their front paws and three on their hind paws. On the fingers of animals there are small hooves, they help them to move easily on soft and dirty ground. Their closest modern relatives are rhinos and horses. In the wild, tapirs live for about 30 years. cubs different types these animals are born very similar friend on the other, as they have a protective color of stripes and spots.

Photo 9.

Tapirs are forest animals that love water very much. These mammals are peaceful creatures that live on land, but at the same time, they choose a place for their housing, next to which there will be a lake and a river. Tapirs not only love to rest in the water, but also eat soft algae. In case of danger, tapirs hide from their enemy under water.

They eat berries and fruits, as well as the leaves of some plants. Tapirs living in Brazil very often first sink to the bottom, and then move along the riverbed and look for food at this time.

These animals prefer to be crepuscular or nocturnal. One species of tapir lives in the Andes. These mammals are somewhat smaller than other species and are mostly diurnal. But all tapirs, regardless of their species, if they are hunted, leave their usual habitat for less accessible areas and show their activity only at night. Tapirs are preyed upon by such animals as bears, anacondas, tigers and crocodiles. The main enemy of these amazing animals was and still is man. People hunt tapirs for their skin and meat.

Photo 10.

But still, the main enemy of tapirs and all other animals was and remains a man. The skin and meat of tapirs still attract people, and in Asia and America, these shy and completely harmless animals are hunted ruthlessly. In the markets of Thailand, tapir meat, which the locals call munam, is in great demand. In addition, farmers are actively fighting against tapirs. These animals, if they happen to be close to human habitation, will gladly feast on corn fields, which annoys the owners very much.

Photo 11.

Only zoos can somehow save tapirs from mass extermination. In parks and protected reserves, people, as if feeling guilty before the destroyed nature, try to create ideal, from their point of view, conditions for the existence of animals. An example is a case in one of the British zoos.

A few years ago, a female tapir named Debbie, living peacefully under human supervision, “buried” her husband, after which she frankly fell into depression. She refused to eat and drink, practically did not sleep at night, and looked at all the attempts of the zoo workers to somehow cheer her up with complete indifference.

The arrival of a new male was expected in the coming weeks, and in order to somehow brighten up these long days of loneliness for the inconsolable "widow", the attendants decided to show her ... films about her native jungle. Already after the first viewing documentary film"of the life of the wild tapirs of the Amazon" Debbie began to slowly emerge from her depression. At the end of the tape, the female tapir clearly requested the continuation of the session, and confirmed the improvement in her condition by actively eating.