Historically, Baird’s tapirs ranged from southeastern Mexico through northern Columbia to the Gulf of Guayaquil in Ecuador. Today they are found in isolated populations in the same range. They are considered extinct in El Salvador.

Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )

Baird’s tapirs are the largest native terrestrial mammals in the Neotropics and the largest of the four living tapir species. About the size of small donkeys, Baird’s tapirs typically weigh between 150 to 300 kilograms. They are dark brown to reddish brown above and paler below with white fringes around their large ears, white lips, and sometimes a white patch on the throat and chest. Their fur is bristly and “piglike.” Baird’s tapirs are well muscled. A long, narrow mane is present but is not always conspicuous. Tapirs have short, slender legs, making them well adapted to rapid movement through underbrush. The snout and upper lips are projected forwards to form a short, fleshy proboscis, which is used for finding food and for detecting tactile stimuli. Their eyes are small and flush with the side of their head while their ears are large, erect, oval, and not very mobile. The forefoot has three main digits and one smaller one while the hind foot has only three digits. Females have a single pair of mammae located in the groin region. Body measurements are as follows: head and body length - 180 to 250 cm, tail length - 5 to 13 cm, shoulder height - 73 to 120 cm.

Range mass: 150 to 300 kg.

Range length: 180 to 250 cm.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike

• Terrestrial
• Freshwater

Baird’s tapirs are found in most vegetation types at elevations ranging from sea level to 3,600 meters. They are found in marsh and swamp areas, mangroves, wet tropical rainforests, riparian woodlands, monsoon deciduous forests, montane cloud forests, and paramo (treeless alpine plateau). Food and water availability are important factors in habitat selection. When both primary and secondary forest habitat is available, Baird’s tapirs prefer secondary forest due to the increase in understory plants for foraging and protection.

Range elevation: 0 to 3,600 m.

Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest ; mountains

Wetlands: marsh ; swamp

Other Habitat Features: riparian

Baird’s tapirs are strict herbivores, foraging from the forest floor to 1.5 meters above ground. Leaves from a variety of plant species provide the bulk of their diet, but they also eat fruits, twigs, flowers, sedges, and grasses. Fruits from several plant species seem to be preferred when they are in season, but the total amount of fruit eaten varies by habitat. Dietary composition of plant species also varies by season, with some species eaten during certain times of the year but avoided at others. The presence of armor or biting ants on a plant does not deter them from consuming that plant. Baird’s tapirs spend most of their waking hours foraging in a zig-zag pattern. They forage in one of three patterns: 1) feed on several species in a small area, 2) feed only on a single species within a small area, or 3) grab and eat various plants while moving to another area. Tapirs prefer plant species of medium to tall height, but the only plants that are completely avoided are small, widely spaced seedlings and large canopy-level trees. In general, Baird’s tapirs will move to another plant before all of the leaves are consumed on the one it is currently eating. They typically feed in large treefalls or secondary forest because of the high density of understory plants which are generally highly digestible and have few defensive toxins. Occasionally they will rise on their hind feet to reach leaves beyond their normal reach or knock down slender or dead plants to get fruit or leaves. The assimilation of nutrients seems to be poor based on the large overall volume and significant amount of recognizable plant parts in T. bairdii feces.

Plant Foods: leaves; wood, bark, or stems; fruit; flowers

Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore , Frugivore , Lignivore)

In some habitats, Baird’s tapirs are important seed dispersers. However, because the amount of fruit consumed varies by habitat and region, this role varies as well. It has also been suggested that T. bairdii is an important species for indicating the overall health of Neotropical rain forests because of their rarity and sensitivity to disturbance.

Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds

The most significant predator of Tapirus bairdii is humans, but pumas (Puma concolor) are potential predators of young tapirs. Baird’s tapirs rely largely on camouflage and their large size for protection against predators: at night they blend in extremely well with leafy shrubs, during the day they resemble stationary objects, such as large rocks.

Known Predators:

• humans (Homo sapien)
• pumas (Puma concolor)

Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic

Baird’s tapirs are largely solitary animals and few vocal communications are known. All of observations detailed in this section were recorded at Barro Colorado Island in Panama. The most well-know noise is a continuous whistling sound, typically followed by a similar sound from a nearby tapir. They also make a sound similar to a repeated hiccup, which is though to be related to agitation. Immature tapirs will often emit high-pitched squeaks when frightened or ready to bolt. Mothers that have been separated from their young have been observed emitting loud snore-like breaths until they were reunited with their young. The most important senses to Baird’s tapirs are smell and hearing, both of which are used in finding food and detecting threats. They also locate nearby tapirs by smell. The eyes are small and sight does not seem to be an important mode of perception.

Communication Channels: acoustic ; chemical

Perception Channels: visual ; acoustic

Little is known about the longevity of Tapirus bairdii in the wild, but a wild-born animal lived to be 29.6 years in captivity. Furthermore, a captive T. terrestris lived to be 35 years old.

Range lifespan

Status: captivity: 29.6 (high) years.

Due to the seasonal stability of their habitat, it has been suggested that Tapirus bairdii individuals form long-term monogamous pairs in which the pairs defend a territory. The sex ratio of males to females is 1 to 1.

Mating System: monogamous

Baird’s tapirs can breed anytime of the year, although breeding may be more common just prior to rainy seasons, as in their close relative T. terrestris. The gestation period is 390 to 400 days. Litter size is one with an average birth mass of 9.4 kg. The average number of litters per year for a T. bairdii female is 0.7. Weaning occurs after one year. Age of sexual maturity is not known for T. bairdii. Malayan tapirs (Tapirus indicus), a Southeast Asian tapir species, mature at three years and Brazilian tapirs (T. terrestris) have been known to conceive as early as 23 months and given birth as old as 28 years. The age structure of T. bairdii populations is approximately 82% adults, 12% juveniles, and 6% young. The proportion of young individuals increases in persistently hunted areas.

Breeding interval: Baird's tapirs breed at most once per year, average reproduction attempts per year is 0.7.

Breeding season: Baird's tapirs can breed anytime of the year but likely breed just prior to the rainy season.

Range number of offspring: 1 to 1.

Range gestation period: 390 to 400 days.

Average birth mass: 9.4 kg.

Average weaning age: 12 months.

Range time to independence: 1 to 2 years.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); viviparous

Average birth mass: 9400 g.

Average number of offspring: 1.

Offspring remain with their mothers for one to two years. Both parents play a role in raising the young, as the family unit moves and sleeps together. The mother will guide the young by utilizing a nudging motion with her proboscis.

Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Protecting: Male, Female)

• 2002
  Endangered
• 1996
  Vulnerable
  (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
• 1994
  Vulnerable
  (Groombridge 1994)
• 1990
  Vulnerable
  (IUCN 1990)
• 1988
  Vulnerable
  (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)
• 1986
  Vulnerable
  (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)
• 1982
  Vulnerable
  (Thornback and Jenkins 1982)

Tapirus bairdii is listed as an endangered species with a decreasing population trend on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The endangered status is based on ongoing and future population declines due to loss of habitat, fragmentation, and hunting pressure. It is estimated that approximately 70% of Central American forests have been destroyed in the past 40 years. In addition, T. bairdii is especially at risk of population fragmentation because they exist solely within the narrow Central American isthmus. Hunting pressure is especially harmful to T. bairdii populations due to their low reproductive rates. Infectious disease may also contribute to future declines, especially in areas where tapirs are found near domestic cattle. Based on population density and distribution, T. bairdii is listed as the tenth rarest Neotropical forest mammal. The current overall population estimate is less than 5,000 mature individuals. Along with protecting habitat and reducing hunting pressure, management strategies include protecting the quality of freshwater sources and providing a mix of primary and secondary forest habitats.

US Federal List: endangered

CITES: appendix i

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: endangered

Infectious diseases and parasites that originated in domestic cattle and horses have been found in Tapirus bairdii in southern Mexico and T. bairdii could serve as a carrier of these diseases to new areas. Tapirs also sometimes forage in agricultural areas and have been known to damage corn and other grains. However, this is rare because tapirs generally avoid human-disturbed areas and are few in number. Baird’s tapirs often defecate in water and have the potential to affect human water sources downstream, although their rarity makes this a small problem.

Negative Impacts: crop pest; causes or carries domestic animal disease

Historically, Baird’s tapirs were an important food source for rural and indigenous people across Central America. Their rarity makes them no longer a significant game animal. They are large, charismatic animals that can attract ecotourism interest because of their association with pristine tropical forest habitats.

Positive Impacts: food