Quick! Name an animal with a prehensile snout like an elephant, a thick hide like a hippo, and hoofed toes like a zebra! Oh, and it has 3 toes on its hind legs, so it belongs to the Perissodactyla Order of odd- toed Ungulates. And its offspring bears a striking resemblance to a watermelon!! We’re talking about a tapir, who is not a relative of the elephant or hippo, but it IS more closely related to zebras and rhinoceros. They’re definitely worth seeing, and you can in the South America Loop at the Reid Park Zoo!
Baird’s Tapirs have played a central role in maintaining the biodiversity of forests, grasslands, wetlands and rainforests from southern Mexico all the way down to Colombia, for millions of years. Today’s tapir are called a primitive species because according to fossil remains, they have not changed since the Eocene era (about 33 - 56 million years ago).
At 400-600 plus pounds, the adult Baird’s Tapir is the largest land mammal found in its regional habitats. Their giant football shape, tiny tail and high-stepping back legs help them move nimbly through the dense forest. With the exception of cream colored ear tips and cream color under their chins and on their chest area, they have brownish-black short fur, which covers their very muscular thick-hided and thick-necked bodies.
Their toes spread out for good traction in mud or river banks. The tapir’s ears, eyes and snouts are located on or near the top of their heads. This positioning is perfect for helping the tapir stay submerged in the water while grazing or hiding from natural predators, especially humans and jaguars. It also makes them hard for researchers to locate and study. Fortunately we have learned a lot from tapirs in human care.
A standout tapir adaptation is their prehensile elongated snout. When tapirs dive into the water, this snout acts as a snorkel. Tapirs can hold their breath for several minutes under water. In this short video check out Contessa, the Reid Park Zoo’s female Baird’s Tapir, holding her breath. A tapir’s day may start at dusk emerging from a well-hidden resting niche. He may forage through the forest looking for tasty plants or ripe fruit. The tapirs’ night activity continues with a cool off in a lake or stream and a graze on aquatic plants, but by daybreak they expertly hide away for a rest.
Tapirs are browsers who can grab and pull branches and leaves from a wide variety of plants. Tapirs are far ranging and can eat up to 200 species of plant. This leads to their important role as “seed dispersers,” helping to support a diverse healthy ecosystem. Some seeds from forest trees like the wild almond tree are only spread by a tapir!
Tucson loves tapirs
Tapirs are a critical partner in saving forests and rainforest trees. Saving tapirs is also important because they are an umbrella species; if you can save the tapirs and their lands you will also save other animals and plants. The Reid Park Zoo, which is lucky to have a breeding pair of Baird’s Tapirs, participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan program with these endangered creatures. Our Zoo also contributes to the work of Chris Jordan, an in-situ scientist who is giving his life to tapir conservation.
And what about Reid Park Zoo’s happy tapir couple? Well, an on-and- off again romance might best describe Tupi and Contessa’s relationship. In the wild tapirs are mostly solitary, elusive animals. But when it is time to mate they find each other through scent marking and vocalizations. Here at the zoo the animal care keepers read the signs that Contessa may be receptive to breeding and give her and Tupi access to the habitat together.
They have successfully produced two of the world’s most adorable calves, in 2015 and 2018. These two cuties have moved on to other zoos to do their parts to increase numbers for the species, but the good news is that it’s once again breeding season for Tupi and Contessa, and they are now in the same habitat. We all know what that means: visitors to the Reid Park Zoo may soon be able to see the world’s cutest “watermelon with legs” – a baby tapir! You won’t want to miss it!
For more content like this please visit reidparkzooexpansion.org.
