Malayan tapir

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Malayan tapir
Schabrackentapir Tapirus indicus Tiergarten-Nuernberg-1.jpg
Malayan tapir at Tiergarten Nürnberg in Nuremberg, Germany
CITES Appendix I (CITES) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Tapiridae
Genus: Tapirus
Species:
T. indicus
Binomial name
Tapirus indicus
(Desmarest, 1819) [2]
Subspecies [3]
  • T. indicus indicus, Desmarest, 1819
  • T. indicus brevetianus, Kuiper, 1926
Malayan Tapir area.png
Malayan tapir range
Synonyms

Acrocodia indica

The Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus), also called Asian tapir, Asiatic tapir, oriental tapir, Indian tapir, piebald tapir, or black-and-white tapir, is the only living tapir species outside of the Americas. It is native to Southeast Asia from the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra. It has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2008, as the population is estimated to comprise fewer than 2,500 mature individuals. [1]

Contents

Taxonomy

The scientific name Tapirus indicus was proposed by Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest in 1819 who referred to a tapir described by Pierre-Médard Diard. [2] Tapirus indicus brevetianus was coined by a Dutch zoologist in 1926 who described a black Malayan tapir from Sumatra that had been sent to Rotterdam Zoo in the early 1920s. [4]

Phylogenetic analyses of 13 Malayan tapirs showed that the species is monophyletic. [5] It was placed in the genus Acrocodia by Colin Groves and Peter Grubb in 2011. [6] However, a comparison of mitochondrial DNA of 16 perissodactyl species revealed that the Malayan tapir forms a sister group together with the Tapirus species native to the Americas. It was the first Tapirus species that genetically diverged from the group, estimated about 25  million years ago in the Late Oligocene. [7]

Description

Sketch of a Malayan tapir skeleton TapirSkelLyd2.png
Sketch of a Malayan tapir skeleton
Photo of a Malayan tapir skull on display at the Museum of Osteology Malayan Tapir Skull.jpg
Photo of a Malayan tapir skull on display at the Museum of Osteology

The Malayan tapir is easily identified by its markings, most notably the light-colored patch that extends from its shoulders to its hindquarters. Black hair covers its head, shoulders, and legs, while white hair covers its midsection, rear, and the tips of its ears; these white edges around the rims of the outer ear as is true of other tapirs. The disrupted coloration breaks up its outline, providing camouflage by making the animal difficult to recognize against the varied terrain and dense flora of its habitat; potential predators may mistake it for a large rock, rather than prey, when it is lying down to sleep. [8]

The Malayan tapir is the largest of the four extant tapir species and grows to between 1.8 and 2.5 m (5 ft 11 in and 8 ft 2 in) in length, not counting a stubby tail of only 5 to 10 cm (2.0 to 3.9 in) in length, and stands 90 to 110 cm (2 ft 11 in to 3 ft 7 in) tall. It typically weighs between 250 and 320 kg (550 and 710 lb), although some adults can weigh up to 540 kg (1,190 lb). [9] [10] [11] [12] The females are usually larger than the males. Like other tapir species, it has a small, stubby tail and a long, flexible proboscis. It has four toes on each front foot and three toes on each back foot. The Malayan tapir has rather poor eyesight, but excellent hearing and sense of smell.

Underside of front (left) and back (right) hooves of the Malayan tapir Tapir hooves.jpg
Underside of front (left) and back (right) hooves of the Malayan tapir

The tapir's unique proboscis is supported by several evolutionary adaptations of its skull. It has a large sagittal crest, unusually positioned orbits, an unusually shaped cranium with elevated frontal bones, and a retracted nasal incision as well as retracted facial cartilage. This evolutionary process is believed to have caused the loss of some cartilages, facial muscles, and the bony wall of the tapir's nasal chamber.

Vision

Malayan tapirs have very poor eyesight, both on land and in water, instead relying heavily on their excellent senses of smell and hearing to navigate and forage. Their eyes are small and, like many herbivores, positioned on the sides of the face. They have brown irises, but the corneas are often covered in a blue haze; this corneal cloudiness is thought to be caused by repetitive exposure to light. This loss of transparency impacts the ability of the cornea to transmit and focus outside light as it enters the eye, impairing the animal's overall vision. As these tapirs are most active at night on top of having poor eyesight, this habit may make it harder for them to search for food and avoid predators. [13] [14]

Color variation

Two melanistic Malayan tapirs were observed in Jerangau Forest Reserve in Malaysia in 2000. [15] A black Malayan tapir was also recorded in Tekai Tembeling Forest Reserve in Pahang state in 2016. [16]

Distribution and habitat

The Malayan tapir is distributed throughout the tropical lowland rainforests of Southeast Asia, including Sumatra in Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand.

It was once found as far north as China. [17] Here, it has been confused with the giant panda, with the name 'mo' being applied to both species. In Japan, tales of the tapir are believed to have given rise to the legendary baku.

Populations in Sabah in Borneo may have persisted until recently but are now considered extinct. [18]

Behaviour and ecology

A Malayan tapir in Taman Negara National Park Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus) (8729168612).jpg
A Malayan tapir in Taman Negara National Park

Malayan tapirs are primarily solitary, marking out large tracts of land as their territory, though these areas usually overlap with those of other individuals. Tapirs mark out their territories by spraying urine on plants, and they often follow distinct paths which they have bulldozed through the undergrowth.[ citation needed ] Exclusively herbivorous, the animal forages for the tender shoots and leaves of more than 115 species of plants, of which around 30 are particularly preferred, moving slowly through the forest and pausing often to eat and note the scents left behind by other tapirs in the area. [19] The tapir can run quickly when threatened or frightened, and if forced to fight can defend itself with its strong jaws and sharp teeth. Malayan tapirs communicate with high-pitched squeaks and whistles. They usually prefer to live near water and often bathe and swim, and they are also able to climb steep slopes. Tapirs are mainly active at night, though they are not exclusively nocturnal; because they tend to eat soon after sunset or before sunrise, and they will often nap in the middle of the night, they are considered to be crepuscular animals.

Life cycle

A juvenile Malayan tapir Princess Tapir sleeping.JPG
A juvenile Malayan tapir

The gestation period of the Malayan tapir is about 390–395 days, after which a single calf is born that weighs around 6.8 kg (15 lb). Malayan tapirs are the largest of the four tapir species at birth and tend to grow more quickly than their relatives. [20] Young tapirs of all species have brown hair with white stripes and spots, a pattern that enables them to hide effectively in the dappled light of the forest. This baby coat fades into adult coloration between four and seven months after birth. Weaning occurs between six and eight months of age, at which time the babies are nearly full-grown, and the animals reach sexual maturity around age three. Breeding typically occurs in April, May or June, and females generally produce one calf every two years. Malayan tapirs can live up to 30 years, both in the wild and in captivity.[ citation needed ]

Predators

Because of its size, the Malayan tapir has few natural predators, and even reports of killings by tigers (Panthera tigris), [21] leopards (Panthera pardus), or dholes (Cuon alpinus) are scarce.

Malayan tapirs can defend themselves with their very powerful bite; in 1998, the bite of a captive female Malayan tapir named Melody severed off a zookeeper's left arm at the mid-bicep (which was too mangled to be reattached), likely because she stood between her and her offspring. [22]

Threats

The main threats to the Malayan tapir are loss and destruction of habitat through deforestation. Large tracts of forests in Thailand and Malaysia have been converted for planting oil palms. [1] Habitat fragmentation in peninsular Malaysia caused displacement of 142 Malayan tapirs between 2006 and 2010; some were rescued and relocated, while 15 of them were killed in vehicle collisions. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malay Peninsula</span> Peninsula in Southeast Asia

The Malay Peninsula is located in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area contains Peninsular Malaysia, Southern Thailand, and the southernmost tip of Myanmar (Kawthaung). The island country of Singapore also has historical and cultural ties with the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tapir</span> Herbivorous mammal native to South and Central America, and Southeast Asia

Tapirs are large, herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Tapiridae. They are similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South and Central America and Southeast Asia. They are one of three extant branches of Perissodactyla, alongside equines and rhinoceroses. Only a single genus, Tapirus, is currently extant. Tapirs migrated into South America during the Pleistocene epoch from North America after the formation of the Isthmus of Panama as part of the Great American Interchange. Tapirs were formerly present across North America, but became extinct in the region at the end of the Late Pleistocene, around 12,000 years ago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South American tapir</span> Species of mammal

The South American tapir, also commonly called the Brazilian tapir, the Amazonian tapir, the maned tapir, the lowland tapir, anta, and la sachavaca, is one of the four recognized species in the tapir family. It is the largest surviving native terrestrial mammal in the Amazon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taman Negara</span> National park in Malaysia

Taman Negara is a national park in Peninsular Malaysia. It was established in 1938 and 1939 as the King George V National Park after Theodore Hubback lobbied the sultans of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan to set aside a piece of land that covers the three states for the creation of a protected area. After independence, it was renamed Taman Negara, which means "national park" in Malay.

<i>Tapirus</i> Genus of tapir

Tapirus is a genus of tapir which contains the living tapir species. The Malayan tapir is usually included in Tapirus as well, although some authorities have moved it into its own genus, Acrocodia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain tapir</span> Species of mammal

The mountain tapir, also known as the Andean tapir or woolly tapir, is the smallest of the four widely recognized species of tapir. It is found only in certain portions of the Andean Mountain Range in northwestern South America. As such, it is the only tapir species to live outside of tropical rainforests in the wild. It is most easily distinguished from other tapirs by its thick woolly coat and white lips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malayan tiger</span> Tiger population in Malayan Peninsula

The Malayan tiger is a tiger from a specific population of the Panthera tigris tigris subspecies that is native to Peninsular Malaysia. This population inhabits the southern and central parts of the Malay Peninsula, and has been classified as critically endangered. As of April 2014, the population was estimated at 80–120 mature individuals, with a continuing downward trend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malayan flat-shelled turtle</span> Species of turtle

The Malayan flat-shelled turtle is a species of turtle found in Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malayan civet</span> Species of carnivore

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Malaysian Wildlife Law consists of the regulation, protection, conservation and management of wildlife in Malaysia. The Constitution of Malaysia empowers those at the federal and the states level to make laws regarding wildlife resources. As such, eleven states in peninsular are managed under an act while Sabah enacted an enactment and Sarawak an ordinance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tengku Hassanal Wildlife Reserve</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malaysian Nature Society</span> Environmental non-governmental organization in Malaysia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malayan weasel</span> Species of weasel from Malay Peninsula (Mustela nudipes)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peninsular Malaysian rain forests</span> Ecoregion on the Malay Peninsula

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Traeholt, C.; Novarino, W.; bin Saaban, S.; Shwe, N.M.; Lynam, A.; Zainuddin, Z.; Simpson, B. & bin Mohd, S. (2016). "Tapirus indicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T21472A45173636. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 Desmarest, A.G. (1819). "Tapir l'inde, Tapirus indicus". Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle, appliquée aux arts, à l'agriculture, à l'économie rurale et domestique, à la médecine. Vol. 32. Paris: Deterville. p. 458.
  3. ↑ Grubb, P. (2005). "Species Tapirus indicus". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 633. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  4. ↑ Kuiper, K. (1926). "On a black variety of the Malay tapir (Tapirus indicus)". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 96: 425–426. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1926.tb08105.x.
  5. ↑ Rovie-Ryan, J.J.; Traeholt, C.; Marilyn, J.E.; Zainuddin, Z.Z.; Mohd Sharif, K.; Elagupillay, S.; Mohd Farouk, M.Y.; Abdullah, A.A. & Cornelia, C.S. (2008). "Sequence variation in Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus) inferred using partial sequences of the cytochrome b segment of the mitochondrial DNA". Journal of Wildlife and Parks. 25: 16–18.
  6. ↑ Groves, C. & Grubb, P. (2011). "Acrocodia indica". Ungulate taxonomy. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 20. ISBN   9781421400938.
  7. ↑ Steiner, C.C. & Ryder, O.A. (2011). "Molecular phylogeny and evolution of the Perissodactyla". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 163 (4): 1289–1303. doi: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2011.00752.x .
  8. ↑ "Woodland Park Zoo Animal Fact Sheet: Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus)". Archived from the original on September 24, 2006.
  9. ↑ Wilson & Burnie, Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife. DK ADULT (2001), ISBN   978-0-7894-7764-4
  10. ↑ Tapirus indicus, Animal Diversity Web
  11. ↑ Asian Tapir Archived 2014-12-21 at the Wayback Machine ,|Arkive
  12. ↑ "Malayan tapir". www.ultimateungulate.com.
  13. ↑ Witmer, Lawrence M.; Sampson, Scott D.; Solounias, Nikos (2001-02-27). "Cambridge Journals Online - Abstract". Journal of Zoology. 249 (3). Journals.cambridge.org: 249–267. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1999.tb00763.x . Retrieved 2011-01-15.
  14. ↑ "Tapirus terrestris (lowland tapir)". Digimorph. 2002-02-08. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
  15. ↑ Mohd, Azlan J. (2002). "Recent observations of melanistic Tapirs in Peninsular Malaysia" (PDF). Tapir Conservation. 11 (1): 27–28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-06-25. Retrieved 2006-06-15.
  16. ↑ Asrulsani, J.; Amri, I.; Rafhan, H.; Samsuddin, S.; Saharudin, M.H.; Seman, M.F.; Syafiq, M.; Nasri, M.F. & Patah, P.A. (2017). "Discovery of melanistic Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus var. brevetianus) in Tekai Tembeling Forest Reserve" (PDF). Journal of Wildlife and Parks. 32: 79–83.
  17. ↑ Owen Jarus (2023-08-18). "2,200-year-old remains of sacrificed giant panda and tapir discovered near Chinese emperor's tomb". livescience.com. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
  18. ↑ Cranbrook, E. O.; Piper, P. J. (2009). "Borneo records of Malay tapir, Tapirus indicus Desmarest: a zooarchaeological and historical review". International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. 19 (4): 491–507. doi:10.1002/oa.1015.
  19. ↑ Mohd Khan bin Momin Khan (1997). "Status and Action Plan of the Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus)". IUCN Tapir Specialist Group. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2 December 1998.
  20. ↑ Fahey, B. 1999. "Tapirus indicus" (Online), Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved June 16, 2006.
  21. ↑ Mohd Khan bin Momin Khan (1997). "Status and Action Plan of the Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus)". IUCN Tapir Specialist Group. p. 2. Archived from the original on 29 January 1999.
  22. ↑ Money, Jack (November 21, 1998). "Zookeeper Loses Arm In Mauling at City Zoo". The Oklahoman. Retrieved July 5, 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ↑ Magintan, David; Traeholt, Carl & Karuppannan, Kayal V. (2012). "Displacement of the Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus) in Peninsular Malaysia from 2006 to 2010". Tapir Conservation. 21 (29): 13–17.
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