Some of their aquatic behaviors are quite hippo-like. The Malayan is known to walk across waterways on the bottom. Bathing seems to trigger increased digestive activity that brings on defecation in the water. They will often deliberately enter the water to defecate. Females come into estrous every couple of months and males will investigate their urine markers with the characteristic flehmen action.
Courtship is very horse-like, with a lot of squealing and nipping.
One calf is born after a gestation of about 390 days. It begins to drift away after some 6 months but may stay with the female for over a year. Tapirs mature at about 3 years of age. A female may have another calf after 18 mos. All tapirs are considered vulnerable.