Tapirs Beat Ancient Extinction Events. Can They Survive Humans?

Quick Take

• Tapirs outlasted extinction events that wiped out far more famous animals, and their survival secret stretches back over 50 million years. Discover their ancient survival →
• A nightmare-eating creature from Japanese mythology was modeled after a real animal, and it's probably not one you'd ever guess. Meet the nightmare-eating Baku →
• One part of tapir anatomy simultaneously doubles as a foraging tool, a snorkel, and an escape mechanism. See their multipurpose nose →
• A psychic-type Pokémon you've battled dozens of times has a real-world origin most fans never connect to the source. Explore the Drowzee connection →

The tapir (Tapirus) is a gentle, ancient mammal that looks like a mix of a pig and an elephant. It has a flexible, stubby snout that it uses to grab leaves and fruit in dense tropical forests. These quiet plant-eaters have lived on Earth for millions of years with very little change to their body shape. They spend their days in the water and shade, moving softly through the brush. By eating and dropping seeds across the jungle, tapirs help keep their rainforest homes healthy and green.

Tapirs Are Living Fossils On The Decline

Tapirs are often called living fossils. These fascinating animals have existed since the Eocene period, about 56 to 33.9 million years ago. Although they have evolved, their body shape has changed very little. Tapirs have survived multiple prehistoric extinction events and have roamed the Earth for over 30 million years. Despite their incredible evolutionary resilience, these ancient mammals are now facing an unprecedented crisis due to human activity. Today, habitat destruction, fragmentation, and hunting have pushed all remaining tapir species into jeopardy, leaving them in danger of extinction.

Tapirs: Conservation Status

There are four widely recognized extant species of tapirs alive today, all four of which are in decline.

Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii) is found throughout Mexico and Central America. There are fewer than 5,500 individuals left in Central America. They are severely threatened by intense deforestation and habitat fragmentation.

Mountain tapirs (T. pinchaque) are found only in the mountainous regions of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. They are listed as Endangered. Fewer than 2,500 individuals remain in the high-altitude Andes, and they are particularly vulnerable to climate change, which is warming their cold mountain habitats.

The South American tapir (T. terrestris), also called the lowland tapir, is found east of the Andes in rainforests and wetlands and is considered Vulnerable. Although they have a wider geographic range across South America, their populations are decreasing sharply due to illegal hunting for meat and hides.

The sole tapir species found in Asia, the Malayan tapir (T. indicus), is native to Southeast Asia, where they are found in highly fragmented pockets across Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra), Thailand, and Myanmar.

Their populations are rapidly declining due to habitat loss and fragmentation driven by deforestation for palm oil plantations and commercial development. The Malayan tapir is officially classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remaining in the wild.

Tapirs Are a Part of Japanese Mythology

Japanese culture has a mythological creature called Baku, and stylizations of the animal greatly resemble the Asian tapir.

Baku is a tapir-like creature that eats nightmares. According to legend, it was made from leftover bits when the gods were done creating other animals. Baku has a long history in Japanese mythology, art, and folklore. The creature also appears in manga and anime.

Tapirs Are Strong Swimmers

Despite the tapir’s large size, these animals are excellent swimmers. Their strong swimming abilities allow them to cross large rivers and escape from hungry predators.

Tapirs are highly efficient, fast swimmers that can easily cross wide, fast-flowing rivers. Instead of using raw speed, their aquatic agility relies on specialized evolutionary adaptations.

Because they are heavy and dense, tapirs can completely submerge themselves, sink to the bottom, and walk along the riverbed to move or feed on aquatic vegetation.

Although tapirs can completely close their nostrils and comfortably hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes, they also use their highly flexible, prehensile snouts as a built-in snorkel. This allows them to stay almost entirely hidden beneath the surface with only the tip of their nose exposed to breathe.

Tapirs Are the Gardeners of the Forest

Farmers, gardeners, and tapirs all have something in common: they are great at planting seeds. Tapirs are excellent seed dispersers, which is why they are called the “gardeners of the forest.”

Tapirs eat all sorts of seasonal fruits and then deposit them in their scat. Those seeds can sprout new fruit trees, helping to keep the forest lush. Without tapirs, the diversity and structure of the forest would be completely different.

Tapirs Make Forest Paths for Everyone

Tapirs travel over large areas as they move through dense vegetation. Because they are heavy and often use the same routes, tapirs create permanent networks of clear pathways in the jungle. Other animals use these tapir trails to move through the thick undergrowth.

The Pokemon Drowzee Is a Tapir

Many Pokémon characters are based on real animals, including tapirs. Tapirs are the inspiration for the Pokémon Drowzee, a psychic type of Pokémon. All it takes is one peek at the Pokémon character, and you’ll be able to see the tapir-like resemblance.

The Nose and Toes of Tapirs Make Them Versatile

Tapirs have four toes on their front feet and three toes on their back feet. These unique toes help them move quickly through dense forest undergrowth.

Tapirs also have a prehensile nose. Their nose can wiggle and grab leaves when they’re foraging for food.

Tapirs Appeared in Rio 2

Have you seen the fun animated family comedy movie Rio 2? If you have, then you’ll know tapirs make a special appearance. The movie features many animals, including blue macaws, capybaras, and even Amazon River dolphins. However, one of the most endearing characters is the tapir game announcer. He’s loud, bombastic, and narrates the entire game with a special sense of flair. He even annoys his porcupine co-host when yelling in his ear. Pablo Ramirez does the voice of the tapir. If you want to see more adorable animated tapirs, you can also find them (along with many other animals) in the animated family film Encanto, in which tapirs also make a brief appearance as background animals.