Quick Facts
- Type
- Mammal
- Size
- 180–250 cm (body length)
- Weight
- 250–540 kg
- Habitat
- Tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia
- Diet
- Leaves, shoots, fruit, and aquatic plants
- Active Time
- Mostly nocturnal
- Lifespan
- About 25–30 years
Field Notes
- Baby Malayan tapirs are born with stripes and spots, like a watermelon.
- Their flexible snout works like a short trunk for grabbing leaves.
- They often walk along riverbeds underwater and use the snout as a snorkel.
About the Malayan Tapir
The Malayan tapir is the largest of the four tapir species and the only one native to Asia, living in the rainforests of Sumatra, Thailand, and the Malay Peninsula. Its striking two-tone pattern, black at the front and back with a white 'saddle', breaks up its outline in moonlit forest. A short, flexible trunk-like snout lets it grasp leaves and shoots, and it is an excellent swimmer that often submerges to feed or cool off. Shy and largely solitary, it is endangered due to habitat loss.
Keep exploring
Related animals
Red Fox
Capybara
African Bush Elephant
Bengal Tiger
Giant Panda
Sunda Pangolin
Narwhal
Giraffe
Sea Otter
Red Panda
European Hedgehog
Black Flying Fox
Or spin for another random animal on the explorer, or browse all species in the full directory.