Malayan Tapir

Perissodactyla (Order) Tapiridae (Family) Tapirur indicus (Genus and Species)

Weight 570-830 lbs. (250-385 kg) Shoulder Height 40 in. (100 cm) Length 100 in. (250cm) What they eat: leaves, grasses,  twigs, small and tender branches, and aquatic plants Has lived up to 30 years in captivity

The black and white Malayan Tapir has tough, thick skin that enables it to push its way through dense undergrowth in the rainforest. Its “white saddle” camouflages it in the shifting light beams of the jungle. The tapir's thick skin enables the animal to move through areas with sharp branches without piercing its skin. The tapir's snout is highly flexible and is used to bring foliage to its mouth. The front feet of the tapir have four toes. For the most part, only three of the toes are used when walking unless the animal is crossing marshland. Then the fourth toe will touch the ground and enable the tapir to walk safely without sinking into the ground. The tapir's hindfeet only have three toes. Baby tapirs have a reddish-brown coat with whitish-yellow stripes and spots to provide camouflage in the dappled light of the rainforest.

Malayan tapirs live in the lowlands and forage for vegetation from morning to night, yet it is considered by some to be a nocturnal animal. The Malayan tapir is the heaviest of the 4 species of tapirs. The other three species are found in South America.

The Malayan tapir can be found living in southern Burma (Myanmar), through Thailand, and the Maylay Peninsula to Sumatra. They may also live on the island of Borneo.

Words to describe a tapir mobile, extended, sensitive probiscus (snout)