The mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) is one of the four species of tapir. It lives in the mountains and therefore is the only species that doesn't live in the rainforests. It s name is derived from a beast called "La Pinchaque" which was believed to have roamed in the same range as the mountain tapir. The La Pinchaque was a mythical creature.
Habitat
The mountain tapir lives in the cloud forests of the Andes. They live in heights of about 3000 feet to 4500 feet. They normally prefer to live in the high places of the Andes in the wet season. They are able to survive in these cold places because of their woolly coat.
Physical Features
The mountain tapir is the smallest species of tapir. Females are generally larger than males. They have a slender snout like all tapirs. They can be easily recognized with their woolly fur. They are normally brown in color with their lower lip white in color. Their cheek color is a lighter color than their body. They have a body length of 6 feet and measure 3 feet in height. They have an approximate weight of 220 kilograms. They have four toes in the front feet and three toes in the back feet.
Breeding Appearance of a baby tapir
Normally, mountain tapirs have only one baby and it is rare for them to have more. When the baby is born, it will weigh about 7kg like all baby tapirs. They will have stripes and spots which will fade away as the years pass. The fur of the babies are red in color. Like all the adult mountain tapirs, they also have woolly furs to keep themselves warm. Mountains have a life span of 30 years. They have a gestation period of 400 days.Conservation status
The mountain tapir is endangered due to poaching as bushmeat and for their fur.
Source of picture 1:http://www.konicaminolta.com/kids/animals/library/field/mountain-tapir.html
Source of picture 2:http://www.lazoo.org/conservation/articles/terrifictapirs.html
No comments:
Post a Comment