Spanish Name: El Tapir

Size: The tapirs are about 1 meter tall, 91 cm long, and weighs 270 kgs. 

Life span: They live about 30 years

For more information see:

• Report written by Sung Che
• Report written by Adriana
• Report revised by Estefania
• Report revised by Agostina
  

• The tapirs are herbivore. 
• They eat aquatic vegetables such as leaves, buds, twigs, and fruits of low plants.
• They only come out to eat in the night

• Jaguar 
• Crocodiles 
• Anaconda 
• Some areas humans hunt them for food or for sport. 

Adaptations:

• If the tapir is in danger he would stomp, whitle to scare away the animals.
• Also, when it need a safe place to escape the tapirs have adapted legs and body that allow them to go in the water. 
• The tapir's nose is long because it's adapted so that he can have a good smelling sense and reach leaves which are high above the ground. 
• The tapirs adaptations have helped the tapir survive in the dangerous environment for last 35 million years.
• Same of the adaptations of the tapir, are very similar to te ones of the pigs, peccaries, and capybara.
• They also have high, chunky and lowered tapered shoulders to protect from bushes.
• Tapirs have small eyes inside scoket.
• One cuality that the tapirs have is that they have camouflage colors tin order for them to hide from predators.
• The tapirs can also use their nose as a snorkel while they are under water.
• All tapirs defecates in the river.

• They are black, dark brown, and reddish skin colored. 
• They have a lighter color on their face skin. 
• They spend most of their life in water and mud. 
• They are really shy and usually live alone or in pairs. 
• A female tapir breeds each year.
• The tapirs love salt. 
• It has a very short tail that is about 3-5 inches long.
• It weighs from about 500 to 700 lb. 
• The eyes are very small and the ears are oval shaped. 
• When the tapirs are in danger or in pain they would make loud calls made by the tongue and palate. 
• They can't attack people.
• When babies are born, they look like a water melon.
• Takes 390-400 days for gestation to end.
• The Tapir plays a key role in ecosystems.
•  They look like a mixture of the pig and elephant.
• Easily domesticated.
• They live about 30 years.
• these animals are nocturnal
• they are endangered.
  

 Bibliography: 

1. Animal life Facts" http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/images/animal%20fact/Tapir.pdf 26 Mar. 2003 <MLA> 

2. "Tapir." International Wildlife Encyclopedia. 1994 ed.

3. "Defense Adaptations" http://members.tripod.com/~BNewcomer/environment/tapir/tapirreference4.html 26 Mar. 2003<>

Researchers: Karina E. and Mateo O.
Editor: Sung-Che J.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/tapir/Tapirprintout.shtml

4.  http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=www.landenweb.com/images/ imgsuriname/tapir.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.landenweb.com/l.cfm%3FLandI
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