Malayan Tapirs
Get to know one of the most unique creatures at the zoo. We are home to male Malayan tapir ‘Tanuck’.
A big animal moving quietly through the forest
Malayan tapirs are distinguished among their species for their black and white colouring which functions as camouflage, breaking up their outline in dense forests. Tapirs have a short prehensile trunk that functions as an extended nose and upper lip and allows them to grip branches. An excellent swimmer, a tapir will submerge itself to cool off and can even dive.
- IUCN Red List Status: Endangered (at very high risk of extinction in the wild)
- Type: Mammal
- Habitat: Tropical lowland swamps and forests in Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, and Sumatra
- Diet: Herbivore – leaves, shoots, and aquatic plants
- Size: 6 to 8 feet long
- Weight: 500 to 800 pounds
facts about our animals
Fun Facts about Malayan Tapirs
The Malayan tapir is the world’s biggest tapir species.
Their barrel-shaped bodies help them to move through heavy brush.
Female tapirs are usually larger than male tapirs.
Tapirs are typically solitary creatures.
Their trunks can be used as snorkels when they are in the water.
A juvenile tapir has stripes and spots.
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