The common names of the tapir in Malaysia are badak tampong, machan, cipan, tenuk, badak murai and teronok. The Malayan Tapir(Tapirus indicus) has four toes on its front feet and three toes on its hind feet. Its toes are hooved shaped. The Malayan Tapir's middle toe is larger than the other toes, which are widely separated. The tapir's body is quite different from those of other animals. It is larger in the hind and smaller in the fore. Its odd frame puts more weight on its hind, in particular the legs.

  Baby Tapirs and adult Tapirs are very different. Most of the baby Tapir is brown with gray or white ovals. An adult tapir has an interesting color pattern of black and white. The head, shoulders, limbs, tail, chest and stomach are dark brown or black. The Malayan Tapir's length can be 250 centimeters and can weigh from 260 to 375 kilograms. A Tapir has lived up to 30 years in captivity!

A Tapir's diet consists of young leaves and low growing twigs in the understory of the rain forest. During the dry season Malayan Tapir's live in lowland areas, but move to mountainous zones when the rain comes. Most of their activity is around water. They make shutes and steps leading into river banks.

Tapirs have become endangered because of habitat loss, land was cleared for human settlement and agriculture. In some areas Tapirs are hunted for food which also contributes to their decline. Now Tapirs are protected from hunters by a game law.

 

Animals of Asian Rainforests!