Tapir
A tapir is a large, herbivorous mammal with a short, flexible snout. Its living species inhabit Central and South America and Southeast Asia.
Perissodactyla: An order of hoofed mammals that includes horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs. Tapirs belong to this odd-toed mammal order, despite their superficially pig-like appearance.
Baird's tapir: The largest native land mammal of Central America, with a dark coat and pale-edged ears. This Central American species is the region's largest land mammal.
Seed dispersal: The movement of seeds away from their parent plants, often by animals, wind, or water. Tapirs swallow fruit and deposit seeds far from the plants that produced them.
Habitat fragmentation: The division of continuous habitat into smaller, isolated patches, often by human activity. Fragmentation restricts tapir movement and separates populations.
Tapirus: The genus containing living tapirs and numerous fossil species. Living tapir species are classified within this genus.
Tapiridae: The mammal family containing tapirs, including living species and extinct relatives. This family groups all tapirs and their close fossil relatives.
Malayan tapir: The largest living tapir, native to parts of Southeast Asia and marked by a striking black-and-white coat. Its contrasting coloration makes it the most visually distinctive living tapir.
Frugivore: An animal whose diet includes a substantial amount of fruit. Fruit forms part of tapir diets and makes them effective seed carriers.
Deforestation: The large-scale removal of forest, often to clear land for agriculture or development. Forest loss removes feeding and shelter areas used by tapirs.
Miocene: A geological epoch lasting from about 23 million to 5.3 million years ago. Tapir relatives were widespread and diverse during this epoch.