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The World's Tapirs--The MountainTapir (Tapirus pinchaque)
Range: Montane forests and Paramos in Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru, between 2000 to 4000 meters elevation. Characteristics: The Mountain tapir is the smallest of tapir species. Their color is brownish to black with long hair and a white line around the lips. The adults have two characteristic hair-free patches in the rump. They measure 1.8 meters long, 0.8 meters high, and weigh between 150 and 250 Kilos. The Mountain tapir is the smallest and most furry of the tapirs. As with all tapir species, their young have a dappled, camouflage coat. Status: Endangered Conservation Threats: The primary threats to the mountain tapir are warfare and habitat loss due to poppy farming and growth of ranching and agriculture, driven by human population growth in the Andean region. Hunting is no longer a major threat due to local regulations and increased awareness of this species’ rarity and conservation status. Population Estimate (2008): Exact numbers are not known as more research is needed, but estimated population is more than 2,500 individuals. Numbers are decreasing. Behavior: The mountain tapir
feeds on leaves, twigs and fruits of a large number of plant species
in Andean forests and paramos. The most preferred are plants of
the genus Lupinus, leaves of Gynoxys, Gunnera sp, Oreopanax, and
Chusquea sp. The tapirs are important seed dispersers and a key
component for the maintenance of the structure and composition of
montane forests in South America Illustration generously provided by Stephen Nash, Conservation International |
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