About Tapirs - Tapir Specialist Group

More documents

Recommendations

Info

1980 – Keith Williams appointed as the founding Chairperson of the Tapir Specialist Group 1990 – Sharon Matola took over as Chairperson of the TSG. She wrote the first issue of Tapir Conservation 1996 – First Tapir Red List Assessment 1997 – First Tapir Action Plan published 2001 – First International Tapir Symposium, Costa Rica 2003 – Malayan Tapir PHVA Workshop, Malaysia 2004 – Second International Tapir Symposium, Republic of Panama – Mountain Tapir PHVA Workshop, Colombia 2005 – Baird´s Tapir PHVA Workshop, Belize 2006 – Third International Tapir Symposium, Argentina – ISIS/TSG Physiological Data Reference Values for Tapir Species published 2007 – Lowland Tapir PHVA Workshop, Brazil – TSG Tapir Field Veterinary Manual published 2008 – Fourth International Tapir Symposium, Mexico – TSG Guidelines for Tapir Re-introduction and Translocation published 4 5 Points of Pride
What are tapirs? Tapirs are large herbivorous mammals, with short prehensile snouts, which are used to grab leaves and used as a snorkel when swimming. The four species of tapir live in the jungles and forest regions of South and Central America and Southeast Asia and are all listed as either vulnerable or endangered. The tapir’s closest relatives include horses and rhinoceroses. Tapirs are disappearing from the wild in large part due to hunting pressure, habitat destruction and fragmentation, and encroachment into protected park areas by subsistence farmers and illegal logging operations. Why are tapirs important? Tapirs play a critical role in shaping and maintaining the biological diversity of tropical ecosystems. The tapir is one of the first species in its habitat to be adversely affected by human disturbance because of their size, and because of their sensitivity to habitat changes. Local extinction or population decrease may trigger adverse effects in the habitat, causing disruptions of some key ecological processes (e.g. seed dispersal, nutrient recycling), and eventually compromising the long-term integrity and biodiversity of the ecosystem. How are tapirs doing? Where are they particularly endangered? Where are they doing okay? Tapirs are becoming rare in their occurrence areas--the forests of Central and South America, and Southeast Asia--mostly due to habitat destruction and poaching. The IUCN Red Book lists the four species of tapirs as either vulnerable or endangered. The Mountain tapir, T. pinchaque, is one of the most endangered large mammals in the world.The Baird’s tapir, T. bairdii, is the largest land mammal in the Neotropics and also endangered. The Malayan tapir, T. indicus, is the only Old World extant species and is also endangered in Sumatra and mainland Malaysia. The lowland tapir, T. terrestris, is now either completely absent or its distribution is extremely fragmented across much of its historic range, with the northern Amazon and the remaining Pantanal (Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay) becoming important strongholds as southern, eastern and northwestern populations decline rapidly. Frequently Asked Questions 6 7
Page 2 and 3: As Chair of the IUCN/SSC Tapir Spec
Page 6 and 7: What threats do tapirs face? • Hu
Page 8 and 9: Lowland Tapir Habitat Range (Tapiru
Page 10 and 11: Mountain Tapir Habitat Range (Tapir
Page 12 and 13: Mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque):
Page 14 and 15: Biographies Key Tapir Conservationi
Page 16 and 17: Recent Tapir Releases New Research
Page 18 and 19: Tapir Holdings Worldwide BAIRD’S
Page 20 and 21: North America (continued) Ellen Tro
Page 22 and 23: Europe (continued) Howletts Wild An
Page 24 and 25: Europe (continued) Zagreb Zoo ADDRE
Page 26 and 27: Media Contact Information PATRÍCIA

About Tapirs - Tapir Specialist Group

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?