Saiga tapir (SciiFii)

The saiga tapir (Saigatapirus paellicius) is a species of tapir that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, wetlands, forests, open woodlands, grasslands, and shrublands across North America to help boost biodiversity. The saiga tapir is light brown with lighter brown stripes running down its sides, and is paler in the underbelly. The round, dark ears have distinctive white edges. Newborn saiga tapirs have a darker brown coat, with small white spots and stripes along the body. As its name suggests, the saiga tapir has pair of closely spaced, bloated nostrils directed downward, similarly to those of the saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica). During summer migrations, a saiga tapir's nose helps filter out dust kicked up by the herd and cools the animal's blood. In the winter, it heats up the frigid air before it is taken to the lungs. The saiga tapir can attain a body length of 1.8 to 2.5 meters (5.9 to 8.2 feet) with a 5 to 10 centimeters (2.0 to 3.9 inches) short stubby tail and an average weight around 225 kilograms (496 lbs). Adult weight has been reported ranging from 150 to 320 kilograms (330 to 710 lbs). It stands somewhere between 77 to 108 centimeters (30 to 43 inches) at the shoulder. The saiga tapir is an excellent swimmer and diver, but due to its less specialized adaptation for an amphibious lifestyle compared with many tapirs, it is mostly terrestrial and moves quickly on land, even over rugged, mountainous terrain. Using its mobile nose, it feeds on leaves, buds, shoots, fruits, grasses, small branches, and aquatic plants. Compared with other tapir species, the saiga tapir is the most social of all known tapir species, living in herds consisting of up to around 30-50 individuals at a time, most likely an adaptation for spending more time on land than other tapirs. The saiga tapir mates in the spring between April and May, reaching sexual maturity in the third year of life. Females go through a gestation period of 11 months (334–340 days) and will typically have one offspring almost every two years. A newborn saiga tapir weighs about 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) and will be weaned in about five months. The saiga tapir has a life span of approximately 30 to 35 years. The conservation status of the saiga tapir is Least Concern due to successful conservation status, the saiga tapir's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii