• Approach
    • Financial Integrity
    • Strategies
    • What We Do
  • Protecting Wildlife
    • Conservation Partners
    • Wildlife Funds
    • Rising Wildlife Leaders
  • Impact
    • News & Stories
  • Get Involved
    • Events
    • Fundraise
    • Shop
    • Planned Giving
    • Engage Online
Donate
  • Approach
    • Financial Integrity
    • Strategies
    • What We Do
  • Protecting Wildlife
    • Conservation Partners
    • Wildlife Funds
    • Rising Wildlife Leaders
  • Impact
    • News & Stories
  • Get Involved
    • Events
    • Fundraise
    • Shop
    • Planned Giving
    • Engage Online
  • About
    • Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Reports and Financials
    • Corporate Partners
    • Other Ways to Give
    • Careers
  • FAQ
  • Contact
Newsletter Sign-Up
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
>

Happy World Tapir Day!

April 26, 2016

By Wildlife Conservation Network

In honor of World Tapir Day, here are five fun facts about tapirs. We find these unique animals fascinating, and we think you will too.

 

1. Even though tapirs look like pigs, as odd-toed ungulates, their closest living relatives include zebras and rhinos.

 

2. ‘Tapir’ comes from an indigenous Brazilian language and means ‘thick,’ referencing their very tough hides.

 

3. Tapirs love the water! They like to just swim or soak, going deep below the surface and letting fish pick insects off their skin. They’ll even mate in the water, using their noses like snorkels.

 

4. Speaking of those noses- did you know that a tapir’s nose is prehensile, or capable of grasping? It can be used to grab branches and fruit, or strip tasty leaves off a tree trunk. Think of it as a mini elephant trunk, doing many of the same things, but much shorter.

 

5. Fossil tapirs have been found on every continent except Antarctica. Modern tapirs and ancient tapirs didn’t actually look too different, leading some to call the current four species living fossils.

 

We invite you to check out former WCN guest speaker Patrícia Medici’s TED Talk on tapirs, and to celebrate Tapir Day on April 27th! 

 

Charity Navigator

Donate

When you designate your donation to a specific species, 100% of your donation will go directly to the field to support this species.

News & Stories

Discover

Get Involved

Learn More

Sign-up for Our Newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Connect With Us

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
Site by Briteweb
Registered 501(c)(3) EIN: 30-0108469