Amazon Quiz: Name this animal
Tapir
Armadillo
Aardvark
Anteater
Answer: Tapir
A visual mixture of an elephant and wild hog, tapirs happen to be among the strangest looking mammals. Tapirs have actually been around for a long time, and while they are mostly found in South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia, earlier instances show the animal in Eocene of North America.
They are primitive animals with the earliest detected fossil going back to the Early Oligocene Epoch.
Also Read | Should you sleep alongside your pet? Here is what experts say
Tapir calves, which look like a cross between a piglet and a fawn, also have an interesting defence mechanism. Their colouring and skin marks including dots and stripes help to camouflage in forest environments.
The long snouts of tapirs aren’t just for looks but are prehensile, which means they can grab things with them. These animals are also excellent swimmers with the ability to walk underwater. When alarmed, tapirs hide below the water’s surface, using their snout as a snorkel.
There are four types of tapirs
- Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus)
- Mountain tapir (T. pinchaque)
- Baird’s tapir (T. bairdii)
- Lowland tapir (T. terrestris)
All of them are endangered and in need of conservation. Tapirs face the threat of hunting as they’re targeted for meat.
Also Read | Locals prevent eviction of abandoned 17-year-old cat. Here is how
Tapirs are herbivores by nature and forage for foods including plants and fruits. An average tapir eats up to 75 pounds (34 kilograms) of food in a day.
Known as “gardeners of the forest”, tapirs end up dispersing seeds efficiently, in the process of foraging for food. Tapirs end up benefiting the genetic diversity of forests. As South America’s largest mammal, they move a lot of seeds.
Amazon Quiz: Where is this company headquartered?
Amazon Quiz: The movie ‘Attack’ shows which Bollywood actor playing the role of a ‘super soldier’?
