- The tapir is a large, herbivorous mammal, similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk
- Five extant species within one extant genus are widely recognised. Four are in Central and South America, while the fifth is in Asia.
- Size varies between types, but most tapirs stand about 1 m (3 ft) high at the shoulder
- They can weigh up to 300 kilos
- Tapirs are related to horses and rhinoceroses.
- Tapirs short, gripping trunk is really an extended nose and upper lip
- Though they appear densely built, tapirs are at home in the water and often submerge to cool off.
- Tapirs are nocturnal, hiding in thick patches of forest to sleep most of the day, and waking at around 3:30 in the afternoon to forage
- In the wild, the tapir’s diet consists of fruit, berries, and leaves, particularly young, tender growth
- Tapirs are wide-ranging animals
- Apart from mothers and their young offspring, tapirs lead almost exclusively solitary lives.
- Tapirs are generally shy, but when scared they can defend themselves with their very powerful jaws
- The natural lifespan of a tapir is about 25 to 30 years
