Tapirus bairdii
Baird's tapir

Central and South America: South Mexico to Panama; west of the Andes from North Colombia to the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Tapirs favor wooded or grassy waterside habitats with herbaceous vegetation. Many live by river edges, swamps, and lush stream bottoms. They are all-terrain animals that travel mostly in the forest. They are mostly nocturnal, and during the day they rest in thick vegetation.

Tapirs are the largest terrestrial mammals in Central America. An adult wild tapir has short, sparse black hair over a black skin. The hairs are approximately 1-3cm long. Tapirs are stocky animals with short powerful legs that are well suited for rapid movement through thick underbush. In the forest a tapir can run as fast as a human. The tail is short and seems to have no significant purpose other than providing a cover for the anus. The upper lip in elongated into a proboscis; it is flexible, long, and rather extensible. It serves the purpose of shoveling food into the mouth and gathering leaves from places that the tongue and teeth cannot reach. The head has a flat crown and a poorly developed mane. Tapirs have small eyes flush with the side of the head; the ears are oval, erect, and not very mobile.

Tapirs are shy, silent and rarely seen. When they are alarmed, they run for the nearest water, dive in, and swim beneath the surface. They possess keen senses of hearing and smell. They are solitary animals with the exception of females with their young. Family groups do not travel far from their homes. Tapirs are agile in closed or open habitat; they are good hill climbers, runners, sliders, waders, divers, and swimmers. Tapirs walk with the snout close to the ground and enjoy a splash in the water or a wallow in the mud. Tapirs are usually silent, but they may stamp a foot when surprised. Also, they communicate with a whistling call.

The normal diet for a tapir consists of dicot leaves, twigs, fruits, and seeds. The strong molars are used to chew leafy material and soft fruit, and the strong and broad palate is also used to chew, mush, and smash food. A captive tapir held at Finca La Pacifica was very particular about what it ate. This also seems to be the case for wild tapirs. Tapirs use microorganisms to digest plant material for them, and they must eat a large amount of food daily.

Tapirs are a good source of food, and their meat is considered to be a delicacy in some parts of Central America. Although they provide good food, people in the southern Americas need to be careful with hunting this endangered species.

CITES Appendix I, US-ESA endangered. Tapirs are hunted for food and sport. Tapir meat is much prized, and they are easy to locate using dogs or by imitating their whistling call. Also, because of deforestation, the populations of all species have declined in recent years.

Tapirs are not harmful to humans in any way. There needs to be an increased awareness of their endangered status in Central and South American if their populations are to be conserved. A captive tapir was reported to be very affectionate toward humans. It allowed them to scratch its belly, armpits, or underchin, only trying to bite people that tried to ride it.