Central American Tapir

2019 CECentral America

"Elusive and mysterious, and known as the “Gardeners of the Forest,” Baird’s tapirs are the largest terrestrial mammal in Central America. They consume over 200 different species of plants, seeds, and fruits. Their size makes them among the few large animals that are capable of dispersing the seeds of slow growing trees with dense wood, including the wild almond tree. These trees provide food and habitat for many other animals, such as macaws. This means that if tapirs are driven to extinction, a chain effect will likewise threaten many other plant and animal species that are reliant upon the seed dispersal provided by tapirs . . . Current estimates indicate that there are only about 4,500 tapirs left, as the threats posed by poaching and habitat destruction continue to lower their numbers." It is estimated that the population declines of Central American Tapir's have exceeded 50% over the last 33 years alone.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Introducing “The Avengers” for Baird’s Tapir Conservation," Medium, April 25, 2019.

Image: Eric Kilbyn via Flickr, Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)