Gestation period is about thirteen months, after which a single baby will be born. Babies will have a reddish, brown coat which is spotted and striped length wise in yellow and white. This gives the young tapir an excellent form of camouflage in the dim tropical light of the forest. The South American tapir is dark gray or brown. The tapir is yet another animal that has been put on the endangered species list.
Man hunts the tapir for food.
Hunting at night when the animal is most active, hunters will spread salt to attract their prey. After licking the salt, the tapir will head straight for the nearest stream. But the hunter will be waiting, high powered rifle in hand. He will shine a strong flashlight into the animals eyes to temporarily blind it before shooting it down. The meat of the tapir is relatively fat free and is rather tasty.