the mindanao horned frog or southeast asian horned toad ( megophrys stejnegeri ) is a species of amphibian in the megophryidae family .

it is endemic to the philippines .

its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests , subtropical or tropical moist montane forests , rivers , and intermittent rivers .

it is threatened by habitat loss .

mindanao horned frog

the mindanao horned frog is classified as vulnerable ( vu ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
the mount malindang national park on mindanao is currently one of the few protected areas providing a safe haven to some populations of the mindanao horned frog ( 1 ) .
the mindanao horned frog is classified as vulnerable ( vu ) , considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild .
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it is vitally important that more information is collected on the biology and true range of the mindanao horned frog , in order to determine the best methods of protecting it ( 6 ) .
like other species in the genus megophrys , the mindanao horned frog is likely to have a large head and mouth , making it well - adapted to swallowing relatively large prey ( 3 ) .
burger , r . m . ( 2000 ) taxon management account : malaysian horned frog . dallas zoo , dallas , texas .
mindanao horned frogs are endemic to the philippines . its relatively small distribution makes it vulnerable to a range of threats including habitat destruction and degradation .
the mindanao horned frog has a relatively small distribution , and it is therefore vulnerable to a number of specific threats across its range . the primary threats to this species include logging activity in the lowland forests of the philippines , as well as contamination of nearby mountain streams and rivers due to mining activity and agricultural runoff , which are resulting in the destruction of the mindanao horned frog’s natural habitat ( 1 ) .
the mindanao horned frog is endemic to the philippines ( 4 ) . it has been observed in a number of provinces , including basilan , bohol , leyte , mindanao , dinagat , biliran and samar , but it is possible that its distribution may be more extensive than this ( 1 ) .
burger , r . m . , ( 2000 ) . taxon management account : malaysian horned frog , megophyrs montana nasuta . in frog forum . retrieved 10 november 2013 , from http : / / www . frogforum . net
- although it is called the mindanao horned frog , you can still find this creature in bohol . its natural habitat is a subtropical or moist lowland forest . it is mostly found near a fresh water supply when it can lay its eggs or in dense underbrush , leaf litter , or other fallen object covering the ground . the number of mindanao horned frogs are decreasing in number because of deforestation and ' ' kaingin ' ' .
the mindanao horned frog ( megophrys stejnegeri ) is a member of the large and ancient megophryidae family , which diverged from the other amphibian families roughly 70 million years ago . more commonly known as the ‘asian toadfrogs’ , this diverse family contains around 136 species of frog , which range in size from 2 to 12 . 5 centimetres long .
the mindanao shrew rat ( crunomys melanius ) is a species of rodent in the family muridae . it is found only in the philippines . endemic to camiguin , leyte , and mindanao .
reptiles canada - a beautiful collection or horned frogs get together for a photoshoot and flaunt their impressive coloration .
the mindanao horned frog ( megophrys stejnegeri ) is a member of the large and ancient megophryidae family , which diverged from the other amphibian families roughly 70 million years ago . more commonly known as the ‘asian toadfrogs’ , this diverse family contains around 136 species of frog , which range in size from 2 to 12 . 5 centimetres long ( 2 ) .
ventral view of the frog . note the mottled appearance of the abdominal surface .
st concern in view of its wide distribution throughout all islands of the mindanao paic and presumed large population .
megophrys nasuta adopting a crouched position , enabling it to blend into the leaf litter ( . . . perhaps a crouching frog thinks it is a hidden frog . . )
the mindanao horned frog spends the majority of its time hiding among detritus and leaf litter , on the floor of lowland and montane rainforests . it is generally found close to mountain streams , which it requires for breeding , and the tadpoles of this species can usually be found in secluded pools along these streams ( 1 ) .
- the giant visayan frog is considered endangered because of habitat loss . the habitat of this frog is a subtropical or moist lowland forests . this frog is part of the dissglossidae family . giant visayan frogs can be found in moist lowland forests in cebu , panay and siquijor
found this little frog on a rainy day going to a waterfall near calinan / bukidnon tropical jungle .
this nocturnal frog is terrestrial to semi - arboreal . it relies on its camouflage to avoid predation .
there is a need for improved protection on mindanao , leyte , samar , and bohol to protect the remaining forest on these islands .
field herp forum - grumpy frog may have met his match in the intimidating gaze of the megophrys nasuta .
the mindanao shrew rat ( crunomys melanius ) is a species of rodent in the family muridae . it is found only in the philippines .
coeliccia exoleta is a philippine endemic species , confined to mindanao and camiguin islands . so far , the species has been recorded in 12 sites . the species has a very fragmented range and occurs in low numbers . it was recorded once in camiguin , and there is reference in muller ' s collection to several sites in mindanao . surveys of several of the mindanao sites in recent years have failed to find the species .
the slender mud frog ranges across hong kong , southern china , myanmar , thailand , vietnam , and malaysia .
this montane frog prefers forests and streams at elevations above 4 , 950 ft ( 1 , 400 m ) .
the mindanao treeshrew ( urogale everetti ) , also called the philippine tree shrew , is a species of treeshrew endemic to the mindanao region in the philippines . it is the only member of the genus urogale . the scientific name commemorates british colonial administrator and zoological collector alfred hart everett .
amphibian species as a whole are hugely under threat . around 32 percent of amphibian species are currently threatened with extinction , while a further 43 percent have declining populations ( 5 ) . species that are restricted to a small geographic area , such as the mindanao horned frog , are most at risk of extinction due to changes in their habitat , often as a result of human influence and climate change ( 6 ) .
the asian horned frog is nocturnal . its impeccable camouflage makes it extremely difficult to see on the forest floor . if it is discovered , either during the day or at night , it will crouch down further into the leaf litter and wait for the disturbance to go away .
reptile forums uk - great pictures of a striking pair of ceratophrys cornuta , a less common species of pacman frog .
this species is currently known from a few mountains on north - western mindanao island , in the philippines . listed as endangered because its extent of occurrence is less than 5 , 000 km , its distribution is severely fragmented , and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat on mindanao in the philippines .
the malayan horned frog was first described by the german ornithologist and herpetologist hermann schlegel in 1858 . it is often touted as a charismatic species due to its unusual appearance – a pair of horn - like skin projections on its head , and an extended , pointed snout . betrayed by its loud metallic ‘honk’ for a
in singapore , this species is easily distinguished from other frog species due to the prominence of its triangular projections of
horns
and snout .
the bana leaf litter frog is nocturnal and terrestrial ; it spends most of its time taking refuge in the leaf litter deep in the forest .
dorsal view of m . nasuta adult . the frog’s excellent camouflage is largely due to both body shape and colour patterns that closely mimic that of dried leaves .
draco mindanensis , commonly known as the mindanao flying dragon , is a lizard species endemic to the philippines . characterized by a dull grayish brown body color and a vivid tangerine orange dewlap , this species is one of the largest of the genus draco . it is diurnal , arboreal , and capable of gliding . the mindanao flying dragon inhabits regions of primary and secondary - growth forests . there appears to be a dependence on primary dipterocarp forest for this species ' survival . d . mindanensis is noted for being a bioindicator for the forested regions of mindanao . threatened heavily by deforestation , the iucn has listed d . mindanensis as vulnerable . currently , there are no specific conservation efforts being made to preserve the species . rather , there are projects that target the protection of the habitats in which the mindanao flying dragon lives .
the mindanao brown dove ( phapitreron brunneiceps ) is a threatened species of bird in the family columbidae . it is endemic to forests on the philippine islands of mindanao and basilan , but it has not been recorded from the latter island since 1937 . it is threatened by habitat loss and hunting . until recently , it was considered conspecific with the tawitawi brown dove and collectively called the dark - eared brown dove .
the philippine leafbird ( chloropsis flavipennis ) is a species of bird in the chloropseidae family . it is endemic to the philippines . it is found in the islands of mindanao , leyte , and cebu . its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests . it is threatened by habitat loss . its stronghold appears to be mindanao , with populations small in leyte and in cebu , the species could already be extinct .
reaching 100 - 120 mm in snout - vent length ( svl : the length from snout to vent ) and females capable of reaching a svl of up to 160 mm ( malkmus et al . , 2002 ) . the species is characterized by the existence of prominent triangular projections on its upper eyelids and snout : these appendages create what looks like “horns” from which its common name , the ‘horned’ frog , is derived .
wildenhues , m . , rauhaus , a . , bach , r . , karbe , d . , van der straeten , k . , hertwig , s . t . , ziegler , t . ( 2012 ) : husbandry , captive breeding , larval development and stages of the malayan horned frog megophrys nasuta ( schlegel , 1858 ) ( amphibia : anura : megophryidae ) . amphibian and reptile conservation 5 ( 3 ) : 15 - 28
the normal species , ceratophryne dorsata , [ can be found ] from guyana and brazil , will become just as big as a normal frog ( sometime in the future but not now ) .
threatened heavily by deforestation , the iucn has listed d . mindanensis as vulnerable . currently , there are no specific conservation efforts being made to preserve the species . rather , there are projects that target the protection of the habitats in which the mindanao flying dragon lives .
. these tubercles serve to identify individual frogs as tubercle presence , shape , number and location on body surface vary from individual to individual . the colour of the frog allows it to blend in with the colour of leaf
congrats , shauming ! this is a great series ! i ' ve seen this frog only once , also in calinan , but it was a very long time ago . i hope they ' re still there . . .
draco mindanensis , commonly known as the mindanao flying dragon , is a lizard species endemic to the philippines . characterized by a dull grayish brown body color and a vivid tangerine orange dewlap , this species is one of the largest of the genus draco . it is diurnal , arboreal , and capable of gliding .
despite its grumpy and disapproving demeanour , this species is actually shy in nature and will crouch down , motionless , when startled or disturbed . this is part of the frog ' s strategy to avoid detection and for greater camouflage among the leaf litter .
this species is known from basilan , biliran , bohol , dinagat , leyte , samar , and many parts of mindanao , in the southern and eastern islands of the philippines . it is found from around sea level up to 1 , 800 m asl ( diesmos et al . 2014 ) . it probably occurs more widely than current records suggest .
asian toadfrogs vary from being extremely common to exceedingly rare . the slender mud frog ( leptolalax pelodytoides ) has a vast distribution and during the breeding season can be the most abundant species in a stream habitat . on the other hand , sung ' s slender frog ( leptolalax sungi ) is known only from a 50 - yd ( 50 m ) stretch of one mountain stream . efforts are being made to protect the rapidly disappearing habitat in which asian toadfrogs live . as of the year 2002 , no asian toad - frogs were listed as endangered or threatened by the iucn .
bickford , d . , ng , t . h . , qie , l . , kudavidanage , e . p . , and bradshaw , c . j . ( 2010 ) . forest fragment and breeding habitat characteristics explain frog diversity and abundance in singapore . biotropica 42 ( 1 ) , 119 - 125 .
the head of the frog is relatively large and broad as compared to its body size with a hidden tympanum . the tympanum can be described as
. . . diagonally placed , rounded below , somewhat angular on upper edge , [ and ] separated from eye by a distance greater than greatest diameter of tympanum
( taylor , 1962 ) .
males are 2 . 3–2 . 9 in ( 57 . 2–73 . 0 mm ) long , and females are 3 . 1–3 . 3 in ( 79 . 9–84 . 2 mm ) long . this heavy - bodied frog has a head that is broad and flat . the limbs are slender and short and seem disproportionately small for the body . the protruding eyes are dark , except for the upper third , which is white . the pupil is vertical . a narrow white membrane is visible around the margin of the eye . from above , the bana leaf litter frog is uniformly dark brown with red spots on the flanks and hind limbs ; the belly is gray with minute white spots .
however , the protection of the rest of the forested areas of the philippines requires much work ( 1 ) . conservation international and the critical ecosystem partnership fund have been working to support conservation and increase conservation awareness throughout the philippines , including in areas such as east mindanao . however , there are fears that in the already established national parks , land is being disturbed by human settlements and the boundaries of protected areas are not being properly enforced ( 7 ) .
males grow up to 1 . 43 in ( 36 . 2 mm ) in length and females up to 1 . 79 in ( 45 . 4 mm ) . this bizarre toothless frog has a narrow mouth and an extremely truncated snout . small , pointy tubercles are present above the eye and leaflike venations are on the back . the color of the back ranges from light to dark brown , with some irregular mottling on the head and back . the pupil is diamond - shaped , and the iris is golden brown .
megophrys nasuta is known to inhabit mature rainforest or swamp forest , where its characteristic loud “honk” call can be heard especially during the early hours of dusk and just before rain : it is then that calling frequency increases , as opposed to almost solitary calls during the later hours of the night . this may be due to those periods being suitable breeding periods for the frog - it is perhaps useful to note here that most frogs usually call ( period of greatest vocalization ) in the later hours of dusk ( bickford et al . , 2010 ) .
males grow up to 1 . 31 in ( 33 . 4 mm ) and females to 1 . 62 in ( 41 . 2 mm ) . an elongate frog , it is orange to light brown , with irregular dark brown mottling on the back and head . the chin and belly are creamy white , and the slender limbs have black transverse bars . the upper lip includes several vertical black bars and one cream - colored vertical bar at the apex of the snout . small tubercles may be scattered along the back . the tadpole is long and slender and has a subterminal mouth . the body and tail are light brown , and the edges of the tail fin are translucent .
asian toadfrogs come in just about every size and shape imaginable . the largest species , the broad - headed toad ( brachytarsophrys ) , attains a maximum length of 6 . 6 in ( 168 mm ) , and the smallest species , the borneo frog ( leptobrachella ) , is a mere 0 . 7 in ( 17 . 8 mm ) long . females are typically larger than males , except among the moustache toads ( vibrissaphora ) and two species of alpine toads ( scutiger ) . other sexually dimorphic characters include keratinized nuptial patches on the chest and fingers of breeding male alpine toads and cateyed frogs ( oreolalax ) and bizarre keratinized spines seen on the upper lip of the male moustache toad during the breeding season .
males grow to 1 . 7–3 . 6 in ( 44–92 mm ) in length and females to 2 . 6–4 . 4 in ( 67–111 mm ) . this is a stocky , large - bodied frog with a bizarre , elongated
horn
on the upper eyelid and , in some forms , a fleshy appendage projecting off the nose . this skin is smooth , except for one or two pairs of fleshy ridges that extend from behind the head to the groin . the color of the back is light brown to reddish brown , occasionally with a few black tubercles . the flanks bear numerous fleshy tubercles and are slightly darker in color than those on the back . the color and overall shape of this species is a perfect imitation of a dried leaf . the pupil is vertical , and the iris is dark brown . tadpoles have a funnel mouth , and the body and tail are brown .
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
frost , d . r . 2017 . amphibian species of the world : an online reference . version 6 . 0 . american museum of natural history , new york , usa available at : urltoken .
this species was removed from the synonymy of megophrys montana by iskandar ( 1998 ) , where it had been placed previously by inger ( 1954 ) .
this terrestrial species inhabits primary and secondary montane and lowland rainforests and is dependent on mountain streams where it breeds . individuals of this species are found among leaf litter , or exposed on the forest floor , near tree roots and standing water pools ( plaza and sanguila 2015 ) . tadpoles are suspension feeders and prefer quiet pools in streams . it apparently has a wide tolerance of ecological disturbance ( sanguila et al . 2016 ) .
the species is traded at low levels for the domestic pet trade ( philippines red list assessment workshop may 2017 ) .
some subpopulations of this species are protected in national parks , such as mount malindang national park , and other protected areas , including mount apo natural park .
more information is needed on this species ' distribution , population status , ecology , and threats . additional taxonomic studies are recommended given this species ' widespread distribution ( plaza and sanguila 2015 ) .
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generally , megophrys species spend much of their time quietly hidden in leaf litter , where they hunt prey and hide from predators . however , when defending a territory against a potential rival , they have been known to rear up and inflate their lungs to make them look bigger , before screaming loudly and leaping at their opponent ( 2 ) .
members of the genus megophrys tend to move about using short hops , as their large body size relative to their short legs makes larger jumps more difficult ( 4 ) .
this information is awaiting authentication by a species expert , and will be updated as soon as possible . if you are able to help please contact : arkive @ urltoken
stuart , s . n . , chanson , j . s . , cox , n . a . , young , b . e . , rodrigues , a . s . l . , fischman , d . l . and waller , r . w . ( 2004 ) status and trends of amphibian declines and extinctions worldwide . science , 306 ( 5702 ) : 1783 - 1786 .
sodhi , n . s . , bickford , d . , diesmos , a . c . , lee , t . m . , koh , l . p . , brook , b . w . , sekercioglu , c . h . and bradshaw , c . j . a . ( 2008 ) measuring the meltdown : drivers of global amphibian extinction and decline . plos one , 3 ( 2 ) : e1636 .
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wow , thanks for all the compliments , been busy setting up business in kota kinabalu lately , surely will continue spotting for pn .
awesome series shauminglo . . ! congrats for the sotd . . : - )
fantastic pictures sir ! and a fine spotting ( english accent ) ! : p for real tho . good stuff .
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captive bred reptile forums uk - see photos of a wicked looking megophrys stejnegeri owned by brian santos .
it ' s that time of the year in wisconsin when many repti . . .
this is an excellent write - up on how to prepare for the . . .
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university of san carlos school of law and governance , pelaez st . , cebu city
hombron ' s kingfisher or the blue - capped kingfisher ( actenoides hombroni ) is a species of bird in the family alcedinidae endemic to the philippines . its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical , moist , lowland forests and subtropical or tropical , moist , montane forests . it is threatened by habitat loss .
although called a warty pig , facial warts of this species are small and only found in males . these pigs are best recognized by the white stripe which runs over the bridge of the nose behind the mouth .
numbers of wild visayan warty pigs are not available , but the species has lost 95 % of its former range in recent times and is highly endangered .
found only on one tiny island in the philippines , the camiguin forest rat is a little - known species as it has only been known to scientists since 2002 . the camiguin forest rat has soft , thick dark reddish - brown fur , which is slightly paler on the underside . the snout and the sides of the face are covered in dark grey hairs . the camiguin forest rat has small , nearly naked ears , relatively large forefeet , and long , wide hindfeet . the relatively short tail , which measures less than the head and body length , is almost entirely hairless .
the grey imperial pigeon ( ducula pickeringii ) is a species of bird in the family columbidae . it is found in brunei , indonesia , malaysia , and the philippines . its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and plantations . it is threatened by habitat loss .
the dinagat gymnure ( podogymnura aureospinula ) is a species of mammal in the family erinaceidae . it is endemic to the philippines . its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests . it is threatened by habitat loss .
any bird of the order passeriformes ) bird . this species of passerineformes has been declared as a critically endangered species last january 24 , 2014 , according to www . philstar . com . it was feared to be extinct , because of the clearance of most of the islands forests , but it was rediscovered in 1992 in a small patch of limestone forest in
- the visayan warty pig has been considered endangered due to the destruction of its habitat , specifically the forest . this species can be found in panay , negros , cebu and aklan . they mainly feed on cultivated vegetables , fallen fruits and root crop .
- the tarsier is a primate found in the bohol . the tarsier jumps tree to tree to hunt for their food , tarsiers are insect based , they mainly eat insects by pouncing on them at the right time . tarsiers are born with fur and their eyes open and can climb trees within an hour of birth . the majority of tarsier species are now endangered or threatened , and some are designated critically endangered .
- the philippine flying lemur locally known as ' ' kagwang ' ' is one of the two species of flying lemurs , the only two living species in the order dermoptera ( arboreal gliding mammals found in southeast asia ) . this species shows sexual dimorphism , which means when the female is larger than the male . this species is categorized as the least concern endangered species .
- the black shama can be found in the forests of cebu . its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests , subtropical or tropical moist shrubland , and plantations . it is threatened by habitat loss from kaingin farming and deforestation .
- the panay cloudrunner is the second largest cloud rat , a squirrel like rodent that can be found in the island of panay . the late date of discovery was because the lack of forest cover on panay lead to the island being largely ignored by biologists . the lack of habitat has brought this cloud rat species to be categorized as an an endangered species .
- is a species of bird of the zosteropidae family , in the genus dasycrotapha . it is classified as vulnerable sue tot he loss of habitat , deforestation and kaingin farming .
- is a megabat that mostly lives on negros island . two small populations were also found on cebu island in the philippines . like other bare - backed fruit bats , its wings meet along the midline of their bodies , making it a very agile flier . by the mid - 1980 ' s , the fruit bat vanished because of replacing the lowland forest to a sugar cane plantation , but was later rediscovered last 1996 .
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dorsal ( back ) view of adult megophrys nasuta individual : the
horns
, snout , vent , tubercles and dorsolateral folds are labelled .
the arms and legs are also marked by the mottled appearance – arms are moderate in size , and fingers are widened at the tips , and lack webbing between . toes , however , show signs of webbing , while displaying similar widening at the tips as fingers ( inger , 1966 ) .
or plants by animals ) in the litterfall of the forest grounds ( inger , 1966 ; wildenhues , 2012 ) .
42 ( gosner , 1960 ; inger , 1984 ) . tadpoles posses a distinctly shaped oral groove formed from the horizontal expansion of the lips , which results in a dorsally oriented funnel - mouth – this structure is unique to megophryid species ( inger , 1984 ) . juvenile frogs are similar in colour to adults with noticeable protrusions at the eyelids and snout , although these are not fully formed .
for more details and pictures , please refer to the ' biology ' section below .
megophrys nasuta pair in amplexus . note the obvious size difference between the male ( smaller individual ) and female : a clear example of sexual dimorphism . ( click picture to find out more about sexual dimorphism )
megophrys nasuta exhibits inguinal amplexus : a type of amplexing position where the male clasps the female around her pelvic region . males typically rest their feet on the female’s thighs ( see picture ) . this posture is typically maintained for hours , ( sometimes even for weeks ) , and pairs will usually not break away from the stance even when disturbed ( burger , 2000 ; wildenhues et al . , 2012 ) .
eggs are laid either adhered to surfaces in water or partially submerged in streams . oviposition ( that is , egg laying ) is usually conducted beneath structures such as submerged logs or rocks . the large white eggs ( of about 2 cm in diameter , including glutinous layer ) are glutinous and laid attached to each other ( wildenhues , 2012 ) . the larvae take approximately one week to hatch following egg deposition . the larvae are white and heavily dependent upon the yolk for sustenance and as a energy reservoir : following the early days of hatching , they remain motionless on the stream’s bottom .
partial view of megophrys nasuta egg clutch : eggs are usually laid partially submerged in water under structures such as dead wood or rocks .
side view of megophrys nasuta tadpole . the tunnel shaped mouth is clearly observed here .
the larvae , when hatched , are a pale white in colour , and are attached to their yolk reservoir : a week later , they develop brownish pigment . larvae begin to metamorphsose in about two and a half months , although this may be delayed to up to seven months , depending upon development temperature . captive breeding of megophrys nasuta has shown that lower temperature of development ( ranging from about 19°c to 22°c ) would result in a longer and slower development rate , while higher temperatures led to quicker development rates . however , larvae that developed quicker resulted in smaller metamorphs and juveniles as compared to that raised in lower temperatures ( wildenhues et al . , 2012 ) .
larvae commence development from metamorphs ( gosner stage * 45 ) into juvenile frogs ( gosner stage 46 ) where their tail is completely resorbed from about three to seven months following egg deposition .
* gosner stages define different stages of the developing anuran young : from its two cell stage ( gosner stage 1 ) to when it has completely resorbed its tail ( gosner stage 47 ) .
juvenile megophrys nasuta . this individual had a snout - vent length of 18 mm and was found hiding along stream bank vegetation .
megophrys nasuta is known to be a voracious opportunistic predator . adults are observed to feed on crickets , cockroaches , locusts , worms , slugs , and even snails , although this list is likely more diverse ( obst et al . , 1984 ; burger , 2000 ; wildenhues et al . , 2012 ) . its cryptic colouration and camouflage aid in its feeding strategy , allowing it to prey on smaller unsuspecting animals on the forest ground .
front view of m . nasuta tadpole . note the funnel - shaped mouth .
the large funnel mouth shape of m . nasuta tadpoles is a specialized structure for its feeding strategy . the funnel creates a suction that channels in water , which carries fine food particles such as algae , plankton and microbes . the tadpole then utilizes its internal oral ridges ( fine folds in its oral cavity ) to filter and select for appropriately sized and appropriate food in the water ( inger , 1954 ; burger , 2000 ) .
megophrys nasuta is known to primarily occur in mature rainforest - it is a forest specialist . the species inhabits lowland and submontane forests , and is usually found in the vicinity of clear forests stream : which serves as a necessary habitat for its tadpole and breeding grounds ( inger , 1954 ; berry , 1975 ; dring , 1979 ) . in singapore , it is found in the more pristine forested areas of bukit timah nature reserve , in addition to more mature swamp - forest in central catchment nature reserve ( teo & rajathurai , 1997 ) .
adult frogs are completely terrestrial in nature , although usually always found near streams . tadpoles , however , spend their entire larval period in streams , and are often observed congregated on the sides of streams : they are known to favour the root mats of streamside vegetation , and areas of dead leaves accumulation , possibly as these are areas of greater plankton abundance ( inger , 1954 ; burger , 2000 ) .
globally , the native range of m . nasuta stretches from yala , southern thailand , throughout the malay peninsula , singapore , sumatra , borneo , till the natuna islands .
in singapore , m . nasuta is confined within the central catchment nature reserves ( ccnr ) and bukit timah nature reserve ( btnr ) . due to sensitivity of this species’ location in singapore , the exact sites within the reserves cannot be revealed .
map of singapore . locations of megophrys nasuta are found within the shaded areas .
the international union for conservation of nature ( iucn ) lists m . nasuta as a taxon of ‘ least concern ’ due to its presumed wider distribution range , and population size ( van dijk et al . , 2004 ) . however , forest fragmentation coupled with habitat destruction and loss threatens population size—this is further compounded by harvesting for the pet trade ( wildenhues , 2012 ) .
frogs often serve as indicators of ecosystem health . some frogs - such as forest specialists like megophrys nasuta , are particularly sensitive ( and susceptible ! ) to changes in the environment : such as rising temperature , a drop in precipitation , and even the presence of pollutants in the stream . in fact , because frogs ( like many amphibians ) are partly aquatic and partly terrestrial , this makes them even more vulnerable to environmental changes and decline .
a comprehensive survey of the amphibians in singapore was carried out from 1993 to 1997 by teo and rajathurai of the vertebrate study group of singapore’s nature society . the survey , carried out over four years with a six year pre - survey period ( 1987 to 1993 ) , listed 36 records of m . nasuta in singapore , confined to bukit timah nature reserve and catchment nature reserve . this was corroborated in part by m . nasuta records from ‘the pangolin’ , a quarterly bulletin of singapore’s vertebrates published by the malayan nature society singapore ( lim , 1998c , 1989c , 1989d , 1990c , 1995 ) . however , current knowledge regarding this species’ current status in singapore is lacking or unpublished .
“zij hebben in het algemeen de kenmerken der kikvorschen ; maar hun kop is veel grooter en plat ; hun muil is buitengewoon wijd , en hunne bovenste oogleden zijn meer of min puntig verlengd . men vindt hen in zuid - amerika en achter - indie . ”
“they generally have the characteristics of the frogs , but their head is much larger and flat ; their mouth is extremely wide , and their upper eyelids are more or less pointed extended . one can find them in south america and back indies . ”
however , m . nasuta does look similar to other megophrys species ( all of which are not found in singapore ) . there are currently five recognized species under the megophrys ( frost , 2011 ) .
palpebral projections with wide large head . ventral surface is mottled light - dark brown in colour .
with a wide large head . similar in morphology to m . nasuta , but is lacking the elongated pointed snout .
tubercles on skin surface . tubercles greater in number as compared to that in m . nasuta . body colour ranges from dark brown to greyish
original description of m . nasuta ( page 56 - 57 ) . extracted from schlegel , h . [ 1858 ] . image courtesy of biodiversity heritage library .
schlegel orignally placed m . nasuta within the ceratophryne genus - this was later revised several times and finally placed under megophrys in 1929 by gee and boring ( gee & boring , 1929 ) .
“zij hebben in het algemeen de kenmerken der kikvorschen ; maar hun kop is veel grooter en plat ; hun muil is buitengewoon wijd , en hunne bovenste oogleden zijn meer of min puntig verlengd . men vindt hen in zuid - amerika en achter - indie .
, van guyana en brazilie , wordt nogeens zoo groot als onze gewone pad . zij heeft , door haren grooten kop , een ge - drogtelijk aanzien , is echter met zeer fraaije groene en roode kleuren versierd . op java wordt eene bruine soort ,
they generally have the characteristics of the frogs , but their head is much larger and flat ; their mouth is extremely wide , and their upper eyelids are more or less pointed extended . one can find them in south america and back indies .
she has , because of her big head , an ugly [ appearance ] , however [ it ] is decorated with beautiful green and red colours .
on java you find a brown species , cer . montana which is of the same size of the other amphibians , which is replaced on sumatra by a related specie , cer . nasuta , which has one pointed skin flap to the muzzle .
dr . albert gunther was a german zoologist and herpetologist who described more than 340 species . however , he mistakenly identified adult megophrys montana males as megophrys nasuta females ( then referred to as megalophrys montana and megalophrys nasuta ) - and only discovered his error when he was presented with specimens of larger size that were females , as compared to the smaller sized males that he dealt with ( gunther , 1873 ) . dr gunther also mistakenly brought this information to charles darwin – who in his book ‘the descent of man , and selection in relation to sex’ , incorrectly wrote about the ‘differences’ between the
males
and
females
of megalophrys montana , although these were in fact two different species .
type specimen : two syntypes , rmnh 2143 , deposited in the national museum of natural history , leiden , the netherlands ( miracle et al . , 2007 )
maximum likelihood of amphibian phylogeny : megophrys nasuta ( boxed in red ) is seen to be in the same clade with brachytarsophrys and xenophrys . numbers at node are maximum likelihood boot - strap values . ( source : adapted from science direct ; direct permission not obtained , but within the limits of fair use )
a recent study conducted by pyron and wiens in 2011 based on analysis of sequence data from 12 genes : three mitochondrial and nine nuclear reflects the position as megophryidae as the sister taxon to pelobatidae .
megophryidae is accepted as monophyletic – this is based on analyses carried by frost et al . , using comparative anatomical character evidence of haas ( 2003 ) , with dna sequences from mitochondrial transcription unit h1 and several nuclear genes : h3 , rhodopsin , tyrosinase and the large ribosomal subunit 28s ( frost et al . , 2006 ) .
barcode obtained from bold systems from data deposited in genbank , ncbi . ( clicking on the image will take you to the boldsystems databse )
. the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 ( cox i ) gene sequence is available on genbank .
2 . wild singapore ' s page on amphibians in singapore : a blog on singapore ' s wildlife .
berry , p . y . ( 1975 ) . family rhacophoridae . the amphibian fauna of peninsular malaysia . tropical press , kuala lumpur . pp . 90 - 109 .
davison , g . w . , ng , p . k . , and ho , h . c . ( 2008 ) . the singapore red data book : threatened plants & animals of singapore . nature society ( singapore ) .
dring , j . c . m . ( 1979 ) . amphibians and reptiles from northern trengannu , malaysia , with descriptions of two new geckos : cnemaspis and cyrtodactylus . bull . brit . mus . nat . hist . ( zool . ) 34 ( 5 ) : 181 - 241 , i pi . 17 figs .
frost , d . r . , grant , t . , faivovich , j . , bain , r . h . , haas , a . , haddad , c . f . , de sa , o . r . , channing , a . , wilkinson , m . , donnellan , s . c . , raxworthy , c . j . , campbell , j . a . , blotto , b . l . , moler , p . , drewes , r . c . , nussbaum , r . a . , lynch , j . d . , green . d . a . and wheeler , w . c . ( 2006 ) . the amphibian tree of life . bulletin of the american museum of natural history , 1 - 291 .
frost d . r . ( 2011 ) . amphibian species of the world : an online reference . version 5 . 5 ( 31 january 2011 ) . [ online : electronic database . american museum of natural history , new york , new york ] . available : urltoken [ accessed 10 november 2013 ]
gee , n . g . and boring , a . m . ( 1929 ) , peking nat . hist . bull . , vol . 4 , pt . 2 , pp . 20 , 40
gosner , k . l . ( 1960 ) . a simplified table for staging anuran embryos and larvae with notes on identification . herpetologica 16 ( 3 ) , 183 - 190 .
gunther , a . c . l . g . ( 1873 ) contribution to our knowledge of ceratophrys and megalophrys . annals and magazine of natural history , series 4 , 11 : 417 - 419 . available : http : / / urltoken [ accessed 14 november 2013 ]
haas , a . ( 2003 ) . phylogeny of frogs as inferred from primarily larval characters ( amphibia : anura ) . cladistics , 19 ( 1 ) , 23 - 89 .
inger r . f . ( 1954 ) . systematics and zoogeography of philippine amphibia . fieldiana zoology 33 , 183 - 531 . natural history museum , chicago , illinois . p . 531
inger , r . f . ( 1966 ) , the systematics and zoogeography of the amphibia of borneo . fieldiana ( zool . ) 52 , 1 - 402 , 71 figs .
inger , r . f . , shaffer , h . b . , koshy , m . , and bakde , r . ( 1984 ) . a report on a collection of amphibians and reptiles from the ponmudi , kerala , south india . part 1 . journal of bombay natural history society 81 ( 2 ) , 406 - 427 .
lim , k . k . p . , ( 1989c ) . recent reports : amphibians . the pangolin , malayan nature society singapore branch 2 ( 3 )
lim , k . k . p . , ( 1989d ) . recent reports : amphibians . the pangolin , malayan nature society singapore branch 2 ( 4 )
lim , k . k . p . , ( 1990c ) . recent reports : amphibians . the pangolin , malayan nature society singapore branch , 1 ( 3 )
lim , k . k . p . , ( 1995 ) . recent reports : amphibians . the pangolin , malayan nature society singapore branch
lim , k . k . p . and yang , c . m . ( 1991 ) . ‘an annotated checklist of the amphibians of singapore , with emphasis on material in the zoological reference collection’ , raffles bulletin of zoology 39 , 21 5 - 233 .
leong , t . m . , and chou , l . m . ( 1999 ) . larval diversity and development in the singapore anura ( amphibia ) . raffles bulletin of zoology 47 , 81 - 138 .
miracle , m . e . g . , ostende , l . , & arntzen , j . w . ( 2007 ) . type specimens of amphibians in the national museum of natural history , leiden , the netherlands . zootaxa , 1482 , 25 - 68 .
obst , f . , k . richter , and u . jacob . ( 1984 ) . atlas of reptiles and amphibians for the terrarium . neptune , city , nj : t . f . h . , publishing , inc . .
pyron , a . r . , & wiens , j . j . ( 2011 ) . a large - scale phylogeny of amphibia including over 2800 species , and a revised classification of extant frogs , salamanders , and caecilians . molecular phylogenetics and evolution , 61 ( 2 ) , 543 - 583 .
taylor , e . h . 1962 . the amphibian fauna of thailand . university of kansas science bulletin 43 ( 8 ) : 267 - 599 .
teo , r . c . h . and rajathurai , s . ( 1997 ) . mammals , reptiles and amphibians in the nature reserves of singapore – diversity , abundance and distribution . in chan , l and corlett , r . t . ( eds ) , biodiversity in the nature reserves of singapore . ( pp . 353 – 425 ) . singapore : national parks board .
van dijk p . p . , iskandar d . , and inger r . ( 2004 ) . megophrys nasuta . in : iucn 2011 . iucn red list of threatened species . version 2011 . 2 . [ online ] . available : www . iucnredlist . org . [ accessed : 10 november 2013 ] .
thank you for reading this web - page ! should you have any queries or comments , spot an error in the information above or perhaps have more local ( singapore ) information about this species , please feel free to drop me an email at prar . selv @ gmail . com . : ) your comments are very much appreciated , and will help in adding to our knowledge of this species in singapore .
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all asian toadfrogs have eight vertebrae and intervertebral discs that are not fused to adjacent vertebrae at the time of metamorphosis . the sacral diapophyses are dilated , and the pectoral girdle is arciferal , with a long bony sternum . on the roof of the mouth the neopalatines are absent ; to compensate ,
a palatal process of the maxilla is elongated . asian toadfrogs share a common ancestor with north american and european spadefoot toads ( pelobatidae ) and parsley frogs ( pelodytidae ) . some researchers have recognized these three families as the suborder pelobatoidea . asian toadfrogs can be distinguished from their sister groups by their paddle - shaped tongue and a hyoid that is simplified and elongated ; the hyoid lacks any remnant of a cartilaginous connection to the back of the skull .
the broad - headed toads are sit - and - wait predators , consuming fairly large prey that may be moving along the forest floor . little else is known about the foraging activities of the remaining species . random examination of stomach contents has found that moths , spiders , crickets , cockroaches , beetles , scorpions , centipedes , and snails are all potential prey of asian toadfrogs .
funnel - mouth tadpoles feed on minute particles on the surface of the water . while feeding , the larvae position their upturned lips at the level of the water . taking advantage of the gentle currents that they prefer , they simply allow water and any small particles on the surface film to flow over the edge of the funnel and into the mouth . papillae ( small fleshy fingerlike projections ) around the lips direct the food particles into the mouth . when the papillae come in contact with a particle that is too large , the tadpole quickly dives to avoid the obstruction and resurfaces to resume the feeding process . the non–funnel - mouth tadpoles of leptobrachiinae all forage on the detritus or algae that accumulate in streams . one study has shown that in the same microhabitat , leptobrachine larvae consume food particles that are on average three times the size of what the funnel - mouth tadpoles eat .
in seasonal climates breeding activity occurs during the wet season . in vietnam , this is typically late fall to early spring , and it may last one to two months . in these climates , it is not uncommon to find peak breeding activity when evening temperatures are 41–44°f ( 5–7°c ) . males also may be heard calling during the day , but these efforts are never made with the enthusiasm that is heard at night . female leaf - litter frogs from borneo are full of eggs in january , june , july , and august ; these equatorial megophryids may breed all year round .


baird 's tapir ( tapirus bairdii ) , also known as the central american tapir , is a species of tapir native to mexico , central america and northwestern south america .

it is one of four latin american species of tapir .

baird ' s tapir

baird ' s tapir is classified as a vulnerable species by the iucn ( 1996 ) .
baird ' s tapir ( jan . 2011 - may 2012 , in aza 2011 ) :
for more pictures of baird ' s tapirs , check out ' more tapir photos ' .
the south american or brazilian tapir ( tapirus terrestris ) is one of five species in the tapir family , including : the mountain tapir , the malayan tapir , the baird ' s tapir , and the kabomani tapir .
new year’s day was extra special at franklin park zoo … a baird’s tapir , named abby , gave birth to a female calf .
terwilliger , v . 1978 . natural history of baird ' s tapir on barrow colorado island , panama canal zone .
baird ' s tapir foraging and swimming . click on image above for video . audio and video from arkive . some rights reserved
here’s an animal you don ' t see everywhere , but you can see it during your vacation in costa rica—baird’s tapir ( tapirus bairdii ) spanish name : danto , danta .
with the addition of the new calf , the zoo is now home to three baird’s tapirs . a total of four baird’s tapirs have been born at nashville zoo since the species was introduced there in 2008 .
the baird ' s tapir ( tapirus bairdii ) , like this one in guatemala ' s laguna del tigre national park , is central america ' s largest land mammal , and depends intimately upon surface water for survival .
south american tapirs are one of five species of tapirs living today . the others are the mountain tapir , malayan tapir , baird’s tapir , and kabomani tapir . they have short prehensile snouts , which aid in grabbing tender foliage to eat .
hybrid tapirs from the baird ' s tapir and the brazilian tapir were bred at the san francisco zoo around 1969 and produced a second generation around 1970 ( tg 2007b ) .
though an adult baird’s tapir’s coat is solid brown , babies are born with unique markings , similar to brown and white - striped watermelons . juvenile tapirs lose these markings after one year .
baird ' s tapir is the largest land mammal in central and south america . baird ' s tapirs average 6 . 5 feet ( 2 m ) in length . they are generally between 2 . 4 to 4 feet ( 73 to 120 cm ) in height . adult baird ' s tapirs range between 330 and 880 lbs . ( 150 and 400 kg ) .
our research has shown with photos like the one above and through finding tapir tracks in the mud that the baird ' s tapir is not extinct on the atlantic coast of nicaragua .
foerster , c . , c . vaughan . 2002 . home range , habitat use , and activity of baird ' s tapir in costa rica .
breeding season baird ' s tapirs can breed anytime of the year but likely breed just prior to the rainy season .
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breeding interval baird ' s tapirs breed at most once per year , average reproduction attempts per year is 0 . 7 .
norton , j . , m . ashley . 2004 . genetic variability and population structure among wild baird ' s tapirs .
the baird ' s tapir is easy to track because it often follows previously used paths and it leaves distinctive three - toed tracks ( each toe has a broad hoof ) .
the baird ' s tapir project of costa rica is the longest ongoing tapir project in the world , having started in 1994 . it involves placing radio collars on tapirs in costa rica ' s corcovado national park to study their social systems and habitat preferences . [ 36 ]
the baby’s arrival was long awaited by the animal care staff , as the gestation period for baird’s tapirs is thirteen months . similar to a deer fawn , baird’s tapir calves are distinctly marked with watermelon like white stripes and spots , which help to camouflage them in the dappled light of the rainforest . the stripes begin to fade between five and six months of age .
our findings will better inform the scientists and managers who are trying to conserve baird ' s tapirs . our work is showing the opposite of what people thought was true . instead of being extinct , there is a small but thriving population of baird ' s tapirs in our region .
length varies among the 5 species - longest in malayan tapir . shortest in brazilian tapir
as with other tapirs , the short trunk of the baird ' s tapir is composed of nose and upper lip . the tapir uses its trunk to pick up grasses , leaves , and fruit and carry them to the mouth .
janzen , d . h . ( 1982a ) . wild plant acceptability to a captive costa rican baird ' s tapir . brenesia 19 / 20 : 99 - 128 . [ links ]
tapirs have considerably reduced in numbers due to hunting for their meat and hide . habitat loss is also a major threat to the tapir . the brazilian tapir and the malayan tapir are now classed as ‘vulnerable’ . the baird’s tapir and the mountain tapir are both classed as ‘endangered species’ with the mountain tapir being the most threatened species . there are a number of conservation efforts in progress . the tapir specialist group are currently striving to help the tapir with its survival with programs to save , restore and manage the four species of tapir .
hernandez - divers , s . , r . aguilar , d . leandro - loria , c . foerster . 2005 . health evaluation of a radiocollared population of free - ranging baird ' s tapirs (
terwilliger , v . j . ( 1978 ) . natural history of baird ' s tapir on barro colorado island , panama canal zone . biotropica 10 : 211 - 220 . [ links ]
nashville zoo is pleased to announce the birth of a male baird’s tapir . the yet - to - be - named calf arrived on march 7 and weighed - in at 22 . 8 pounds .
hybrids of the baird ' s and the brazilian tapirs were bred at the san francisco zoo around 1969 and later produced a backcross second generation . [ 2 ]
janzen , d . h . ( 1981 ) . digestive seed predation by a costa rican baird ' s tapir ( tapirus bairdii ) . biotropica 13 ( suppl . ) : 59 - 63 . [ links ]
this birth is significant because this species is currently listed as “endangered” on the iucn red list . baird’s tapirs are threatened by hunting , population fragmentation and habitat destruction .
the research being done by the authors of the virtual rainforest ( dr . gerald urquhart and christopher jordan ) has revealed new scientific insights about baird ' s tapirs . we use camera traps to take photos of wild animals in nicaragua . before our project , some scientists thought that baird ' s tapirs were extinct on the caribbean coast of nicaragua .
the baird’s tapirs , at franklin park zoo , make their home in the ‘tropical forest’ exhibit . the new baby is expected to make her public debut within a few weeks .
foerster , c . & amp ; vaughan , c . ( 2002 ) . home range , habitat use and activity of baird ' s tapir in costa rica . biotropica 34 ( 3 ) : 423 - 437 . [ links ]
baird ' s tapir can be either diurnal or nocturnal , although in areas where it is hunted most activity occurs during the night . they are very agile and can negotiate steep slopes with ease . the tell - tale sign of baird ' s tapir are repeatedly used paths through the jungle , which the tapirs mark regularly . these tapirs usually stay close to water , and on hot days have been observed submerged with only their heads above the surface . they communicate with shrill whistles .
tapir gallery ( tg ) . 2007a . tapirs described . the tapir gallery . retrieved september 7 , 2007 .
however , the four other tapir species are on the iucn red list . the mountain tapir and baird’s tapir are listed as endangered because their populations may have declined more than 50 percent in the past three generations ( 33 years ) . it is also thought that they will have a future decline of greater than 50 percent decline in the next three generations .
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in some habitats , baird’s tapirs are important seed dispersers . however , because the amount of fruit consumed varies by habitat and region , this role varies as well . it has also been suggested that
the little one is bonding with mom behind the scenes . until she goes into the public tapir habitat along the zoo’s tropics trail , she can be seen via the minnesota zoo’s social media channels and a special webcam .
like all baby tapirs , a newborn baird’s tapir born august 28 at the nashville zoo looks suspiciously like a brown watermelon with a snout . but rest assured , this little male will eventually sport a smooth , dark brown coat and weigh up to 800 pounds .
cites – appendix i ; u . s . esa and iucn – endangered .
tapirus is a latinized corruption of tapyra - the tupi name for the tapir ( the tupis are an aboriginal tribe from the amazon ) . w . m . baird was an american naturalist who made an expedition to mexico in 1843 . although baird is credited with its ' discovery ' , this tapir was first documented by w . t . white , another american naturalist .
historically , baird’s tapirs ranged from southeastern mexico through northern colombia to the gulf of guayaquil in ecuador . today they are found in isolated populations in the same range . they are considered extinct in el salvador .
the world ' s biggest tapir is found in the old world—southeast asia . the black - and - white malay tapir can grow to 800 pounds . it inhabits the forests and swamps of malaysia and sumatra .
in the wild , the tapir ' s diet consists of fruit , berries , and leaves , particularly young , tender growth . tapirs will spend many of their waking hours foraging along well - worn trails , snouts to the ground in search of food . baird ' s tapirs have been observed to eat around 40 kg ( 85 lb ) of vegetation in one day .
in the wild , the tapir’s diet consists of fruit , berries , and leaves , particularly young , tender growth . tapirs will spend many of their waking hours foraging along well - worn trails , snouts to the ground in search of food . baird’s tapirs have been observed to eat around 40 kilograms ( 85 pounds ) of vegetation in one day ( todd and wilson 2001 ) .
in the wild , the tapir ' s diet consists of fruit , berries , and leaves , particularly young , tender growth . tapirs will spend many of their waking hours foraging along well - worn trails , snouts to the ground in search of food . baird ' s tapirs have been observed to eat around 40 kg ( 85 lb ) of vegetation in one day . [ 24 ]
since the announcement was made , there has been much debate about whether the kabomani tapir is a new species or is simply the misidentification of juvenile brazilian tapir . the iucn ' s tapir specialist group has not declared the kabomani tapir a
unit of conservation importance ,
and the proposed species has not received a categorization on the iucn red list of threatened species .
pictures of t . bairdii x t . terrestris cross taken by sheryl todd , the tapir gallery , web site of the tapir preservation fund
baird ' s tapirs ( tapirus bairdii ) are broad , primitive creatures whose appearance has changed little in thousands of years . a relative of the horse and the rhino , tapirs are the largest land animal in central and south america .
the calf’s parents , romeo and juliet , were brought to the nashville zoo from central america to introduce a new genetic line to the zoo - dwelling tapir population .
this is the second calf for four - year - old mom , juju . the calf’s father , romeo , passed - away last year . romeo was also the father of tybalt , the nashville zoo’s other male tapir , who was born in august 2016 .
this article ' s content derived from wikipedia , the free encyclopedia ( see original source ) .
baird’s tapirs are found in most vegetation types at elevations ranging from sea level to 3 , 600 meters . they are found in marsh and swamp areas , mangroves , wet tropical rainforests , riparian woodlands , monsoon deciduous forests , montane cloud forests , and paramo ( treeless alpine plateau ) . food and water availability are important factors in habitat selection . when both primary and secondary forest habitat is available , baird’s tapirs prefer secondary forest due to the increase in understory plants for foraging and protection .
) are potential predators of young tapirs . baird’s tapirs rely largely on camouflage and their large size for protection against predators : at night they blend in extremely well with leafy shrubs , during the day they resemble stationary objects , such as large rocks .
chalukian , s . , bustos , m . s . , & amp ; lizarraga , r . l . ( 2013 ) . diet of lowland tapir ( tapirus terrestris ) in el rey national park , salta , argentina . integrative zoology8 : 48 - 56 [ links ]
the bairds tapir ranges from southern mexico to northern columbia and are endangered throughout their range . the main threats to the tapir survival is hunting and deforestation .
tapir gallery ( tg ) . 2007b handsome hybrid in the san francisco zoo , san francisco , california . tapir gallery . retrieved september 7 , 2007 .
historically , baird’s tapirs were an important food source for rural and indigenous people across central america . their rarity makes them no longer a significant game animal . they are large , charismatic animals that can attract ecotourism interest because of their association with pristine tropical forest habitats .
poaching and habitat loss have caused tapir numbers to decrease dramatically in recent years .
all tapir species are at - risk largely due to hunting and habitat loss .
tapir a - z animals . web . accessed on december 14 , 2014 .
malayan tapir animal diversity web . web . accessed on january 11 , 2015 .
tapirs of the world tapir specialist group web . accessed on january 11 , 2015
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this tapir survives in dry deciduous forest and tropical evergreen forest and other habitats . range this species of tapir can be found from veracruz , mexico down to ecuador .
“we are thrilled to share this wonderful news , ” said john linehan , zoo new england president and ceo . “given the small size of the north american captive population , this is a very important birth for this endangered species . zoo new england is committed to tapir conservation and has supported important field work being done on behalf of baird’s tapirs in nicaragua . ”
on january 31 , a female south american tapir calf was born at poland’s wrocław zoo . the baby , named sarah , will be part of zoo breeding programs designed to save this vulnerable species .
tapirs - status survey and conservation action plan . iucn / ssc tapir specialist group .
s . p . parker . new york : mcgraw - hill . volume 4 , pp . 597 - 608 .
adult tapirs are large enough to have few natural predators , and the thick skin on the backs of their necks helps to protect them from threats such as jaguars , crocodiles , anacondas , and tigers . the creatures are also able to run fairly quickly , considering their size and cumbersome appearance , finding shelter in the thick undergrowth of the forest or in water . hunting for meat and hides has substantially reduced their numbers and , more recently , habitat loss has resulted in the conservation watch - listing of all four species : both the brazilian tapir and the malayan tapir are classified as vulnerable ; and the baird ' s tapir and the mountain tapir are endangered .
malayan / asian tapir ( jan . 2011 - may 2012 , in aza 2013 ) :
the baird ' s tapir is the largest american tapir . it is brown to blackish above and paler on the sides of the head and venter . the ears are usually edged in white . the head body length is about 200 cm , the height at the shoulder about 120 cm . it weights 150 - 330 kg . females are slightly heavier . the coat is short , sparse and not concealing the skin in lowland populations , but longer ad thicker in the highland populations of guatemala and costa rica .
a 2013 paper in the journal of mammology announced that a new species of tapir had been discovered in brazil and colombia , although it had been known to local tribes . the kabomani tapir was said to be the largest mammal to be discovered in 100 years , according to world tapir day .
the thick hide is covered with a short , bristly - haired , dark brown coat . young animals have a reddish - brown coat brightly marked with white streaks and spots . at higher elevations , animals grow thicker coats as protection from the cold . the throat and cheeks are a light grayish - yellow , and there is usually a dark spot situated below and behind the eye . the edges of the rounded ears are white . the most noticable feature of the tapir is its prehensile nose , which looks and functions like a shortened version of an elephant ' s trunk . baird ' s tapir is the largest and heaviest of the new world tapir species , with a barrel - shaped body and stocky legs . there is no crest on the neck .
williams , k . ( 1984 ) . the central american tapir in northwestern costa rica . ph . d . thesis . michigan state university , east lansing , michigan , u . s . a . 84pp . [ links ]
adult tapirs are large enough that they have few natural predators , and the thick skin on the backs of their necks helps to protect them from threats such as jaguars , crocodiles , anacondas , and tigers . the creatures are also able to run fairly quickly , considering their size and cumbersome appearance , finding shelter in the thick undergrowth of the forest or in water . hunting for meat and hides has substantially reduced their numbers and , more recently , massive habitat loss has resulted in the conservation watch - listing of all four species : both the brazilian tapir and the malayan tapir are classified as vulnerable ; and the baird’s tapir and the mountain tapir are endangered . tapirs tend to prefer old growth forests and the food sources that can be found in them , making the preservation of primary woodlands a top priority for tapir conservationists .
eisenberg , j . f . ; et al . ( 1990 ) .
tapirs
. in parker , s . p .
authenticated ( 19 / 6 / 02 ) by sheryl todd . president , tapir preservation fund . urltoken
what can i do ? : visit the tapir preservation fund for information on how you can help .
the tapir family is old by mammalian standards . the earliest fossil tapir dates to the early oligocene ( about 30 million years ) , and eocene rocks from as early as 55 million years ago contain a wide range of tapir - like animals , and they have changed little since ( taylor 2007 ) .
myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2006a . the diversity of cheek teeth . the animal diversity web . retrieved june 20 , 2006 .
the baird’s tapir is found in forested areas with ponds and streams ( wet tropical rainforest , tropical subdeciduous forest and montane cloud forests ) , palm swamps , paramo , mangrove , riparian forest , and successional vegetation ( caused by natural disturbances ) , as well as in narrow oak - forest strips covering the top of medium - altitude mountains ; from sea level to 3 , 620 m ( brooks et al . 1997 , naranjo and vaughan 2000 ) .
the word
tapir
comes from an indigenous brazilian language ; it means
thick ,
referring to the animal ' s hide , according to the san diego zoo .
tapir
can be pronounced at least two ways , according to the random house dictionary ; it can rhyme either with
paper
or with
appear .
myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2006b . the basic structure of cheek teeth . the animal diversity web . retrieved june 20 , 2006 .
bin momin khan , mohd khan .
status and action plan of the panda tapir ( tapirus indicus )
tapirs : status survey and conservation action plan published by iucn tapir specialist group , 1997 , page 1
bin momin khan , mohd khan .
status and action plan of the malayan tapir ( tapirus indicus )
tapirs : status survey and conservation action plan published by iucn tapir specialist group , 1997 , page 2
baird ' s tapir consumed more than 100 plant species in different vegetation types of tropical dry and humid forests of costa rica and panama ( terwilliger , 1978 ; janzen , 1982a ; williams , 1984 ; and naranjo , 1995a ) . in the present study , tapir 132 consumed 126 different plant species . williams and petrides ( 1980 ) found similar results studying t . indicus in malaysia , reporting more than 115 species consumed . chalukian et al ( 2013 ) found t . terrestris fed on 57 species of plants based on fecal samples in el rey national park in argentina .
myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2006 . the diversity of cheek teeth . the animal diversity web ( online ) . retrieved june 20 , 2006 .
according to keepers , the new calf and mom , bertie , are doing well . this is the minnesota zoo’s third tapir birth in 6 years . the new calf is also one of only 37 tapirs that are currently housed in zoos across north american .
myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2006 . the basic structure of cheek teeth . the animal diversity web ( online ) . retrieved june 20 , 2006 .
williams , k . 1984 . the central american tapir in northwestern costa rica . ph . d . dissertation .
in other words , tapir 132 was willing to travel farther and take fewer bites to increase her fruit consumption .
, the tapir is commonly referred to as
cipan
,
tenuk
or
badak tampong
.
baird’s tapirs are native to mexico , central america , and northern south america , where they are the largest land mammals . they have very few natural predators , but are listed as endangered by the international union for conservation of nature , mainly due to habitat destruction and poaching . tapirs are legally protected in most of their range , but lack of enforcement results in significant losses .
team wild , an elite squadron of science superheroes , needs your help ! your mission : protect and conserve the planet’s species and habitats from destruction .
sarah’s mother , 23 - year - old sonia , was also born at the wrocław zoo . her father is 22 - year - old tapinos .
ok , maybe it ' s you . you may have typed the web address incorrectly . please check the address and spelling to eliminate any spaces .
mohd , azlan j .
recent observations of melanistic tapirs in peninsular malaysia
. tapir conservation : the newsletter of the iucn / ssc tapir specialist group , june 2002 , volume 11 , number 1 , pages 27 - 28
the specimen was scanned along the coronal axis for a total of 395 slices , each slice 1 . 0 mm thick with a 1 . 0 mm interslice spacing . the scanning was done by richard ketcham , cambria denison and matthew colbert on 03 march 1998 . the animations of baird ' s tapir are reduced from the original data for optimal web delivery . see the inspector for unreduced ct data . click on the thumbnail below to see the detail discernible in an unreduced sample slice through the braincase .
breed well into their 20’s . a female t . indicus at the san diego zoo gave birth to 15th offspring at age 30 ( barongi 1993 ) .
a healthy female tapir can give birth every 2 years . young tapirs such as the brazilian tapir often have reddish / brown coats that are striped and flecked with white . this pattern provides them with camouflage in the dappled forest shade .
the tapir may have evolved from the paleothere hyracotherium ( once thought to be a primitive horse ) . [ 32 ]
( all - black ) malayan tapirs have been observed . in 1924 , an all - black tapir was sent to
in thailand , for instance , capture and sale of a young tapir may be worth us $ 5500 . 00 .
simon , tamar . “the tapir : a big unknown” article from discovery channel canadian website , july 22 , 1999 .
could serve as a carrier of these diseases to new areas . tapirs also sometimes forage in agricultural areas and have been known to damage corn and other grains . however , this is rare because tapirs generally avoid human - disturbed areas and are few in number . baird’s tapirs often defecate in water and have the potential to affect human water sources downstream , although their rarity makes this a small problem .
d . m . brooks , r . e . bodmer , and s . matola . iucn , gland , switzerland and cambridge , uk . available online at
a uniquely valuable compendium of taxonomic and distributional data on the world ' s living and historically extinct mammalian species . contributors and editors alike deserve the thanks of all
hughes , j . 1998 . woman ' s arm bitten off in zoo attack . associated press , november 20 , 1998 . retrieved september 7 , 2007 .
boza , m . a . ( 1992 ) . parques nacionales de costa ricaincafo , s . a . madrid , españa . 333 p . [ links ]
talamoni , s . a . & amp ; assis , m . a . ( 2009 ) . feeding habit of the brazilian tapir , tapirus terrestris ( perissodactyla : tapiridae ) in a vegetation transition zone in southeastern brazil . zoologia curitiba impresso26 : 251 - 254 . [ links ]
rzss edinburgh zoo keepers are hearing the “pitter - patter” of tiny hooves with the birth of an endangered malayan tapir calf .
bbc . 2007 . wildfacts sheet on the brazilian tapir ( tapirus terrestris ) . bbc . retrieved september 7 , 2007 .
brooks , d . m . , bodmer , r . e . & matola , s . ( 1997 ) tapirs - status survey and conservation action plan . ( english , spanish , portuguese ) iucn / ssc tapir specialist group . iucn , gland , switzerland and cambridge , uk .
zoo new england is running a naming contest via crowdrise , with donations supporting global wildlife conservation’s nicaragua tapir project . with a $ 5 minimum donation , members of the public can vote for their favorite name for the calf , now through january 31 . follow this link to vote : urltoken
goudot , j . 1843 . nouvelles observations sur le tapir pinchaque ( recent observations on the tapir pinchaque ) . comptes rendus vol . xvi , pages 331 - 334 . available online with english translation by tracy metz . retrieved september 7 , 2007 .
data collection : tapir 132 was located in the field using a telonics tr - 2 receiver and ra - 14 antenna ( telonics inc . , meza , az . 85204 ) . at five minute intervals , data was collected on diet and foraging activity . because of the relative tranquil nature of tapir 132 , we had a unique opportunity to collect field data . no other tapir 132 in the study area allowed us to collect data as did tapir ; therefore the study is limited to one individual .
“we are very excited to welcome this new tapir to the minnesota zoo . malayan tapirs are endangered and this birth is a significant conservation achievement , as it’s estimated that fewer than 1 , 500 exist in the wild . the recent success we’ve had with tapir births over the past six years is an example of the incredible care our zookeeper and veterinary teams provides our animals , ” said tropics trail curator , tom ness .
note the flexible nose and ears tipped with white ; characteristics shared by all tapir species . image credit : san diego zoo global
zooborns featured news of the birth in a january 8 post : “ new year , new tapir at franklin park zoo ” .
percent observations of different activity states for tapir 132 from july 1995 to april 1996 . numbers in parenthesis are monthly sample sizes .
period of the malayan tapir is approximately 390–395 days , after which a single offspring , weighing around 15 pounds ( 6 . 8 kg ) , is born . malayan tapirs are the largest of the four tapir species at birth and grow more quickly than their
tapirs are generally shy , but when they are scared they can defend themselves with their very powerful jaws . in 1998 , a zookeeper in oklahoma city was mauled and had an arm severed by a tapir bite , after she attempted to feed the attacking tapir ' s young ( hughes 1998 ) . in 2006 , a 46 - year - old man ( who was the environmental minister at the time ) who was lost in the corcovado national park at costa rica was found by a search party with a
nasty bite
from a wild tapir .
a malayan tapir and her baby . calves look like brown - and - beige - striped watermelons , which is good for camouflage .
percent composition of major food items consumed by tapir 132 from june 1995 to april 1996 . numbers in parenthesis are monthly sample sizes .
the females are usually larger than the males . like the other types of tapir , they have small stubby tails and long , flexible
in chinese , korean , and japanese , the tapir is named after a beast from chinese mythology . a feature of this mythical creature is a snout like that of an elephant . it is said to eat people ' s dreams . in chinese , the name of this beast , subsequently the name of the tapir , is mò in mandarin and mek in cantonese . the korean equivalent is maek , while it is called baku in japanese .
wilson & burnie , animal : the definitive visual guide to the world ' s wildlife . dk adult ( 2001 ) , isbn 978 - 0 - 7894 - 7764 - 4
attentive mother , chiquita , has been protectively caring for her sweet , striped son . the new family , including dad farrusco , is at home in the zoo’s south american exhibit .
dobson , f . s . & amp ; jinping , y . ( 1993 ) . rarity in neotropical forest mammals revisited . conservation biology7 : 586 - 591 . [ links ]
woodland park zoo ( wpz ) . 2007 . animal fact sheet : malayan tapir ( tapirus indicus ) . retrieved september 7 , 2007 .
tpf news , tapir preservation fund , vol . 4 , no . 7 , july 2001 . see section on study by charles foerster .
the malayan tapir ( tapirus indicus ) , also known as the asian tapir , is the largest of four tapir species and is the only old world tapir . they are native to the rainforests of burma , malaysia , sumatra and thailand . their noses and upper lips are extended to form a prehensile proboscis , which they use to grab leaves . tapirs normally measure 1 . 8 to 2 . 5m ( 6 to 8 feet ) in length , with a shoulder height of 0 . 9 to 1 . 1m . ( 3 to 3 . 5 feet ) .
their most distinctive feature is their snout . it is flexible like an elephant ' s trunk . however , the tapir’s trunk is actually its upper lip and nose . tapirs can grab things with their trunks , somewhat like an elephant . they use them to pluck leaves and fruit out of trees , according to national geographic , and then place these goodies in their mouths . and , according to the san diego zoo , when threatened , tapirs will submerge themselves in a river and use their snouts like a snorkel .
brooks , d . m . , r . e . bodmer , and s . matola ( compilers ) . 1997 . tapirs - status survey and conservation action plan . ( english , spanish , portuguese . ) iucn / ssc tapir specialist group . iucn , gland , switzerland and cambridge , uk . viii + 164 pp .
zoo de beauval is pleased to announce the birth of a male brazilian tapir . the handsome three - week - old has been named diego .
although it spends most of its time in the water or lying in the mud , the tapir can move quickly and is an excellent swimmer .
the tapir is a herbivore and spends its time browsing for food . the tapir eats leaves , twigs , branches , buds , shoots , berries , fruits and aquatic plants . due to its large size , the tapir has few natural predators in its environment . it is known to be preyed upon by wild cats such as tigers , jaguars and cougars along with large reptiles like crocodiles and even the odd snake . the human is believed to be the most common predator of the tapir as they have been hunted for food and even domesticated in some areas . [ 2 ]
cheyenne mountain zoo ( cmz ) . 2006 . mountain tapir conservation at the cheyenne mountain zoo . cheyenee mountain zoo . retrieved september 7 , 2007 .
frank buck wrote about an attack by a tapir in 1926 , which he described in his book , bring ' em back alive . [ 41 ]
denver zoo is happy to announce the birth of umi , an endangered malayan tapir . the female calf , whose name means “life” in malayan , was born to mother rinny and father benny early in the morning on may 6 . she is only the third malayan tapir ever born at the denver zoo .
tapir 132 was observed for a minimum of 20 hrs . per month from june 1995 to april 1996 , excluding august 1995 . considering that tapir activity was predominantly nocturnal ( foerster & vaughan , 2002 ) , diet and foraging behavior data was collected between 1800 - 0600 hrs . observation periods lasted between two and 11 hrs .
tapirs are largely nocturnal and crepuscular , although the smaller mountain tapir of the andes is generally more active during the day than its congeners . they have monocular vision .
tapirs are largely nocturnal and crepuscular , although the smaller mountain tapir of the andes is generally more active during the day than its congeners . they have monocular vision .
olmos , f . ( 1997 ) . tapirs as seed dispersers and predators . in : brooks , d . m . , bodmer , r . e . , matola , s . ( eds . ) tapirs - status survey and conservation action plan . ( pp . 3 - 9 ) . iucn / ssc tapir specialist group . iucn , gland , switzerland . [ links ]
terms of use - the displayed portlet may be used as a link from your website to arkive ' s online content for private , scientific , conservation or educational purposes only . it may not be used within apps .
tapirs measure between 1 . 8 – 2 . 5 metres ( 6 – 8 . 25 feet ) in length depending on species – the malayan tapir is the largest and the mountain tapir is the smallest . their weight can vary between 180 – 320 kilograms ( 396 – 704 pounds ) and they can stand around 1 metre ( 3 feet ) at shoulder height . tapirs coats are short and can range in colour from reddish brown to black , with the malayan tapir being the only subspecies to have a white saddle - shaped marking on its back which may help it to camouflage in dimly lit forest undergrowth and the mountain tapir having a more woolly fur covering .
bites taken during ten minute periods : the study long average for number of bites taken during ten minute periods was 49 , 7 ( n = 147 , s . d . = 30 , 14 ) . the wet and dry season averages for bites taken during ten minute periods were 42 , 1 ( s . d . = 29 , 21 ) and 58 . 2 ( s . d . = 29 , 07 ) respectively . the wet season values for bites per ten minute interval were significantly smaller than dry season paces per ten minute period ( f = 11 , 18 , d . f . = 1 , 145 ; p = 0 , 0011 ) .
was estimated to be 0 . 24 individuals per square kilometer in areas where there was low hunting pressure and 0 . 05 tapirs per square kilometer in persistently hunted areas . however , densities can reach up to 0 . 8 individual per square kilometer in areas with lush vegetation . although baird’s tapirs are largely solitary and typically feed alone , social interactions are often observed . individuals have been observed feeding together on occasion and even exchanging non - threatening physical contact . they have also been observed charging each other , but the charges rarely last for more than a few seconds .
the asian tapir is classified as endangered due to estimated population decline of more than 50 percent in the next three generations . their endangerment is mostly due to habitat loss .
. they have four toes on each front foot and three toes on each back foot . the malayan tapir has rather poor eyesight but excellent hearing and sense of smell .
cozzuol , m . a . ; clozato , c . l . ; holanda , e . c . ; rodrigues , f . v . h . g . ; nienow , s . ; de thoisy , b . ; redondo , r . a . f . ; santos , f . c . r . ( 2013 ) .
a new species of tapir from the amazon
.
the malayan tapir ' s gestation period varies from 390 - 419 days . mothers usually give birth every 2 - 4 years to a single calf , and twins are rare . at birth , a calf weighs approximately 10 - 20 pounds . for the first 6 - 8 months of their life , tapir calves resemble furry watermelons with legs . they are dark brown to black with alternating bands of yellowish - white stripes and spots . young tapirs grow quickly and can weigh as much as 450 pounds at one year of age ; they reach adult size in 2 - 3 years .
the tapir is a large pig - like , browsing mammal that belongs to the family : tairidae . tapirs are odd - toes ungulate animals that can be found in the rainforests of south and central america and southeast asia . there are 4 living species of tapir of which three are native to the american rainforests and one native to the asian rainforests .
goudot , justin .
nouvelles observations sur le tapir pinchaque ( recent observations on the tapir pinchaque ) ,
comptes rendus , paris 1843 , vol . xvi , pages 331 - 334 . available online with english translation by tracy metz . report contains accounts of wild mountain tapirs shying away from human contact at salt deposits after being hunted , and hiding .
tapirs have brown eyes , often with a bluish cast to them , which has been identified as corneal cloudiness , a condition most commonly found in malayan tapirs . the exact etiology is unknown , but the cloudiness may be caused by excessive exposure to light or by trauma . [ 17 ] [ 18 ] however , the tapir ' s sensitive ears and strong sense of smell help to compensate for deficiencies in vision .
the tapir mostly eats leaves , twigs , fruits , and some seeds . it is an important disperser of seeds for several plants ( e . g . , raphia faedigera ) .
in indonesia , the animal is called
badak ,
which is the same word for rhinos . and in thailand , the word for tapir is
p ' som - sett ,
which means
mixture is finished ,
and refers to the belief that the tapir was created from leftover parts of other animals , according to the san diego zoo .
houck , m . l . , s . c . kingswood , and a . t . kumamoto . 2000 . comparative cytogenetics of tapirs , genus tapirus ( perissodactyla , tapiridae ) . cytogenetics and cell genetics 89 : 110 - 115 .
there are five species of tapir , and they are all relatively similar in size . they range from 29 to 42 inches ( 74 to 107 centimeters ) from foot to shoulder and weigh a hefty 500 to 800 lbs . ( 227 to 363 kilograms ) . the largest species is the malayan tapir , which can grow up 800 lbs . ( 363 kg ) .
information indicates evolutionary relationships at both the ordinal and the family level . this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
- - publisher ' s website .
bodmer , r . e . ( 1990 ) . fruit patch size and frugivory in the lowland tapir ( tapirus terrestris ) . journal of zoology222 : 121 - 128 . [ links ]
a number of conservation projects have been started around the world . the tapir specialist group , a unit of the iucn species survival commission , strives to conserve biological diversity by stimulating , developing , and executing practical programs to study , save , restore , and manage the four species of tapir and their remaining habitats in central and south america and southeast asia . [ 35 ]
the malayan tapir has very poor eyesight , making them rely greatly on their excellent sense of smell and hearing to go about in their everyday lives . the malayan tapir has small , beady eyes with brown irises on either side of their face . their eyes are often covered in a blue haze , which is corneal cloudiness thought to be caused by repetitive exposure to light .
today , there are large forest reserves in belize to protect the remaining populations , and the tapir is found in these protected areas with the exception of guanacaste national park and rio blanco . the tapir is an extra special animal for its importance to belize . the protection of these precious first animals is vital and we must all do our part in helping with the conservation process .
janzen , d . h . ( 1982b ) . seeds in tapir dung in santa rosa national park , costa rica . brenesia 19 / 20 ) : 129 - 135 . [ links ]
fragosoj . , silviusk . , & correaj . ( 2003 ) . long - distance seed dispersal by tapir increases seed survival and aggregates tropical trees . ecology84 : 1998 - 2006 . [ links ]
given that bark and flower were minor components of tapir 132 ' s diet in most months of the study , variations in monthly percent of fruit in the diet were primarily reflected in negative correlations with percent leaf matter . as a result , where percent fruit was positively associated with mnc observations and paces taken per unit of time , percent leaf was negatively correlated with those same categories . where percent fruit was negatively correlated with sc observations and number of bites per ten minute periods , positive associations were seen with percent leaf consumption . this is the only tapir study combining diet and foraging , therefore it is impossible to compare results and correlations with other research .
alina bradford is a contributing writer for live science . over the past 16 years , alina has covered everything from ebola to androids while writing health , science and tech articles for major publications . she has multiple health , safety and lifesaving certifications from oklahoma state university . alina ' s goal in life is to try as many experiences as possible . to date , she has been a volunteer firefighter , a dispatcher , substitute teacher , artist , janitor , children ' s book author , pizza maker , event coordinator and much more .
alger , s . , vaughan , c . & amp ; foerster , c . ( 1998 ) . resting site microhabitat selection by tapirus bairdii during the dry season in corcovado national park , costa rica . vida silvestre neotropical7 : 136 - 138 . [ links ]
tapirs are related to rhinoceroses and horses . male tapirs are called ‘bulls’ , females are called ‘cows’ and a baby tapir is a ‘calf’ . the name for a group of tapirs is called a ‘candle’ .
tapirs have brown eyes , often with a bluish cast to them , which has been identified as corneal cloudiness , a condition most commonly found in malayan tapirs . the exact etiology is unknown , but the cloudiness may be caused by excessive exposure to light or by trauma . however , the tapir ' s sensitive ears and strong sense of smell help to compensate for deficiencies in vision . tapirs have simple stomachs and are hindgut fermenters that ferment digested food in a large cecum .
tapirs have a gestation period of approximately 13 months . keepers had been closely monitoring juju’s progress and noticed she was restless the day before she gave birth . once juju went into labor , she welcomed her new calf about five minutes later , without the help of keepers .
given the estimated consumption of about 11 , 9 kilos of biomass ( dry wt ) per day or 4 , 307 kilos per year . naranjo ( 1995b ) estimated between 155 - 249 tapirs in cnp . if the total tapir population in cnp was calculated as 200 tapirs , the total biomass consumed by tapirs in the park would be 872 , 400 kilos of biomass ( dry wt ) yearly , which could greatly impact the park ' s vegetation , especially those species consumed .
, tapirs are seldom hunted for food , as their physical similarity to pigs has made tapir meat a taboo , but in some regions they are hunted for sport or shot accidentally when mistaken for other animals .
castellanos , a . , c . roerester , d . lizcano , e . naranjo , e . cruz - alden , i . lira - torres , r . samudio , s . matola , j . schipper , j . gonzalez - maya . 2008 . tapirus bairdii .
with all said , the tapir is an extra special animal for its importance to belize . the protection and of these precious animals is vital and we must all do our part in helping with the conservation process .
common tapir characteristics include a large body size , short legs , a flexible proboscis ( nose ) , and rounded ears with white tips . note the differences in adult pelage ( coat ) color for four species .
naranjo , e . ( 1995a ) . hábitos de alimentación del tapir ( tapirus bairdii ) en un bosque tropical húmedo de costa rica . vida silvestre neotropical4 ( 1 ) : 32 - 37 . [ links ]
witmer , l . , s . d . sampson , and n . solounias . 1999 . the proboscis of tapirs ( mammalia : perissodactyla ) : a case study in novel narial anatomy . journal of zoology london . 249 : 249 - 267 . retrieved september 7 , 2007 .
foerster , c . r . ( 1998 ) . comportamiento de forrajeo y dieta de una danta centroamericana en un bosque húmedo tropical de costa rica . m . s . thesis . programa regional en manejo de vida silvestre , universidad nacional , heredia , costa rica . [ links ]
hartshorn , g . s . ( 1983 ) . plants . in : d . h . janzen ( ed ) . costa rican natural history . ( pp . 119 - 160 ) . the university of chicago press , chicago , illinois , usa . 865 pp . [ links ]
march , i . j . ( 1994 ) . la situación actual del tapir en méxico . centro de investigación ecológicas del surestemonograf series , no . 1san cristóbal de las casas , chiapas , méxico . [ links ]
rodríguez , m . , olmos , f . & amp ; galetti , m . ( 1993 ) . seed dispersal by tapir in southeastern brazil . mammalia 57 ( 3 ) : 460 - 461 . [ links ]
castellanos , a . , cruz - aldán , e . , foerster , c . r . , gonzález - maya , j . f . , lira torres , i . , lizcano , d . j . , matola , s . , samudio jr , r . & schipper , j .
a terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes ( > 23 . 5° n or s latitude ) . vegetation is made up mostly of grasses , the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available . fire and grazing are important in the long - term maintenance of grasslands .
williams , k . d . & amp ; petrides , g . a . ( 1980 ) . browse use , feeding behavior and management of the malayan tapir . journal of wildlife management44 : 489 - 494 . [ links ]
the minnesota zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of an endangered malayan tapir calf . the little female , named indah , was born on january 6 after an approximately 400 - day gestation period and weighed - in at 16 pounds .
naranjo , e . ( 1995b ) . abundancia , uso de hábitat y dieta del tapir ( tapirus bairdii ) en un bosque tropical húmedo de costa rica . vida silvestre neotropical4 ( 1 ) : 20 - 30 . [ links ]
young tapirs reach sexual maturity between three and five years of age , with females maturing earlier than males . under good conditions , a healthy female tapir can reproduce every two years ; a single young , called a calf , is born after a gestation of about 13 months . the natural lifespan of a tapir is about 25 to 30 years , both in the wild and in zoos . apart from mothers and their young offspring , tapirs lead almost exclusively solitary lives .