Tapir, << TAY puhr, >> is related to the horse and rhinoceros, though it looks more like a pig. The tapir has a short, heavy body and a thick neck. Its nose is drawn out to form a movable, short trunk. Its front feet have four toes, and the hind feet have three toes. The tail is short. Tapirs are wary creatures. They live in the depths of the forests, and near water, in which they love to swim. Tapirs feed on the twigs and foliage of trees and shrubs, and on fruit and other vegetable food.
There are two kinds of tapirs that live in South America. The most common one is found in the forest regions east of the Andes. The other makes its home high in these mountains. The two species of tapirs that live in Central America are the smallest of the family. All full-grown American tapirs are dark brown in color. Young American tapirs are marked with yellowish streaks.
The Malayan tapir is found in Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. It stands 3 to 31/2 feet (91 to 107 centimeters) high at the shoulder. The back, rump, and sides are white while the rest of the thinly haired body is glossy black or dark brown.
People hunt tapirs for their flesh and thick hides. As a result of both hunting and the cutting of forests, tapirs have become rare in many areas.
