Standing at about 3 to 4 feet tall at the shoulder, these dark brown herbivores are often mistaken for giant anteaters because of their long snout. Roaming the forest floors of the Brazilian Amazon, these simple creatures spend most of their time in the River Basin, where about 90% of their adult population is found dead in the water. Brazilian Tapirs are excellent swimmers and are adept at moving on rugged terrain on land. They spend their first years beside their mothers where they learn to search for food on their own by watching the adults. The young Tapirs are born with a different coating of stripes and spots to help keep them camouflaged. Eventually they grow out of the coat and grow a long mane that stretches down their spine.

           Tapirs in general are considered an endangered species, but the Brazilian Tapir is close to extinction due to poaching for its meat and fur. And of course there is the constant treat of deforestation. In constant retreat from humans and bulldozers, its natural predators, the Jaguar and Cougar, always force the Tapirs to run for cover in the waters of the Amazon.

           Although gentle and living in small packs, these creatures have been reported to attack humans on occasion. Even though they mainly eat plants, shoots and other types of brush, they have extremely powerful jaws. They prefer to forage around in old growth forests, which are important to conserve for their continued survival in the Amazon.