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--- tapir [2022/10/28 11:57] – zookeeper
+++ tapir [2023/08/18 19:31] (current) – zookeeper
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 This family of versatile-snouted mammals related to the rhinoceros contains only one genus – //Tapirus// - which is typically considered to contain about four species in all. All but one of these live in South America, these three being the Baird’s Tapir [//T. bairdii//], Mountain [or woolly] Tapir [//T. pinchaque//], and the Lowland Tapir [//T. terrestris//], the most common. The single exception of the genus is the Malayan Tapir [//T. indicus//], which, in spite of other species of its genus, is found not in the Americas at all, but rather in fragmented areas of South-east Asia. Such an anomaly is unusual until one looks at the fossil record, which gives a more diverse and widespread account of tapirs, showing that the group once established populations across the Old World, and that the general tapir body plan has changed relatively little over 35 million years of evolution. Although the Malayan Tapir is the largest today, even larger tapirs exist in years prior – the largest that is known, the aptly named “Giant Tapir”, is thought to have been around the size of a modern White Rhinoceros. Once given its own genus of //Megatapirus//, it is typically thought of today as the largest known species of //Tapirus//, with scientific name //Tapirus augustus//. Fossils attributed to the species have been found dating from 700,000 to 100,000 years ago. It was probably a close relative of today’s Malayan Tapir, living in the same area, though it was fairly larger. In 2013, a fifth species of tapir was also described – the “Kabomani Tapir” [//T. kabomani//] – the smallest of the South American tapirs. Camera footage showed the animals as smaller and darker than known species. However, to ascend the Kabomani Tapir as an individual species has been met with controversy amongst biologists, who consider the tapir similar enough as so to be conspecific with the Lowland species.
 ====== I.	TAPIR MORPHOLOGY ======
-[{{ :malayantapirwae.png?nolink&400|//Tapirs, like this Malayan Tapir, are largely nocturnal, and rest during the daylight to avoid heat//.}}]
+{{ :waemalayantapir.png?nolink&400|}}
 The general body plan of the tapir is perhaps unremarkable compared to its closest relatives – the four legs are relatively long, and the general body plan is fairly horizontal. What sets the tapir apart from its relatives, however, is the versatile snout, which, whilst fairly short, typically used to pluck food which hangs from trees overhead. Perhaps, this is why is zoo animals, the snout is shorter than in that of wild animals, as most zoo tapirs eat food off the ground. Similar to the rhinoceros, the rounded ears of the tapir stand erect. Unlike the rhinoceros, the shoulder is not exaggerated in comparison to the rest of the body. The three species of tapir that live in South America all share similarities in colouration – the Lowland Tapir is brownish, with a white face. The Baird’s Tapir is typically dark brown [sometimes bluish], with yellowish fur on the face. The Mountain Tapir looks fairly similar to the Baird’s Tapir, but its hair is more pronounced. The Kabomani Tapir is typically thought of as a darker-skinned population of Lowland Tapir. The most unique species in colouration is seemingly the Malayan Tapir – for it is mostly blackish, but has a white area around the body. The feet of the tapir are unique amongst mammals – the forefeet have three larger toes and a smaller toe [hence, four toes in all]; but on the back-feet, the smaller toe is absent completely. The younger tapir is perhaps better camouflaged than either parent – it is of a brownish colouration, adorned with white, cryptic markings.
 {{ :waetapirhead.png?nolink&400|}}