Tapir
Type: Mammal
Diet: Herbivore
Average life span in the wild: 25 to 30 years
Size: Height at shoulder, 29 to 42 in (74 to 107 cm)
Weight: 500 to 800 lbs (227 to 363 kg)
Tapirs have been around for tens of millions of years and scientists believe they have changed little since then. Although Tapirs look like pigs with trunks. However, they are actually related to horses and the rhinocerous. They use their short prehensile trunk (really just an extended nose and upper lip) to rid branches of their leaves or to help pluck tasty fruit.
Though they appear densely built, tapirs are at home in the water and often submerge to cool off. They are excellent swimmers and can even dive to feed on aquatic plants. They also wallow in mud to remove pesky ticks from their thick hides.
Tapirs generally live in the forests or grasslands of Central and South America . Different species live in different places like Asia and the WoolyTapir which lives high in the Andes Mountain Range.
All four tapir species are endangered or threatened due to hunting and habitat loss.
Diet: Herbivore
Average life span in the wild: 25 to 30 years
Size: Height at shoulder, 29 to 42 in (74 to 107 cm)
Weight: 500 to 800 lbs (227 to 363 kg)
Tapirs have been around for tens of millions of years and scientists believe they have changed little since then. Although Tapirs look like pigs with trunks. However, they are actually related to horses and the rhinocerous. They use their short prehensile trunk (really just an extended nose and upper lip) to rid branches of their leaves or to help pluck tasty fruit.
Though they appear densely built, tapirs are at home in the water and often submerge to cool off. They are excellent swimmers and can even dive to feed on aquatic plants. They also wallow in mud to remove pesky ticks from their thick hides.
Tapirs generally live in the forests or grasslands of Central and South America . Different species live in different places like Asia and the WoolyTapir which lives high in the Andes Mountain Range.
All four tapir species are endangered or threatened due to hunting and habitat loss.