Asian dwarf tapir (SciiFii)

An Asian dwarf tapir (Tapirus asiaticus) is a species of tapir that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, swamps, forests, and open woodlands across Southeast Asia (Malaysia, etc) and South Asia (India, etc) to help boost biodiversity. The Asian dwarf tapir, as its name suggests, is the smallest species of Asian tapir of the genus Tapirus, only growing to be about the size of a South American mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), having an average length of about 1.8 meters (5.9 ft), the height of 1 meter (2.5 to 3.3 ft), and weigh between 136 and 250 kg (300 and 551 lb). Like all tapir of its genus, it is a herbivore, feeding on a wide range of plants, including leaves, grasses, and bromeliads. In the wild, particularly common foods include lupins, Gynoxys, ferns, and umbrella plants. It also seeks out natural salt licks to satisfy its need for essential minerals. Asian dwarf tapirs are also important seed dispersers within their environments, and have been identified as a keystone species of South and Southeast Asia. A relatively high proportion of plant seeds eaten by Asian dwarf tapirs successfully germinate in their dung, due to a relatively inefficient digestive system and a tendency to defecate near water. When around other members of their species, Asian dwarf tapirs communicate through high-pitched whistles, and the males occasionally fight over estrous females by trying to bite each other's rear legs. But for the most part, Asian dwarf tapirs are shy and lead solitary lives, spending their waking hours foraging for food on their own along well-worn tapir paths. Despite their bulk, they travel easily through dense foliage, up the steep slopes of their hilly habitats, and in water, where they often wallow and swim. Asian dwarf tapirs are generally crepuscular, although they are more active during the day than some other species of tapirs. They sleep from roughly midnight to dawn, with an additional resting period during the hottest time of the day for a few hours after noon, and prefer to bed down in areas with heavy vegetation cover. The conservation status of the Asian dwarf tapir is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the Asian dwarf tapir's wide range and its tolerance to most of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii