Trails of Nature - 1

Dear friends,

Do you know me?

I am a Malayan Tapir, right now living in Singapore Zoo.

Mine is an endangered species mostly owing to the loss of habitat, rainforests . We are extremely sensitive to changes in our environment especially due to human habitation.

We are herbivores mammals. One reason for our extinction is due to the fact that the females reproduce only once in 2 years and the gestational period is quite long - 12-13 months. Most of the times it is a single baby.

The babies look plump and cute with stripes and spots over the body that they are called walking watermelons. The spots help them for camouflage.

We have a trunk that is formed by fused nose and upperlip. It gives us a powerful sense of smell.

We are good swimmers as well as runners inspite of some 200-300 kg body weight. We manage to escape from most of the predators except one, that is human beings!

Many organisations have been formed to protect us from extinction like Tapir specialist group. This picture has been saved from tapirs.org to show you the other tapirs.

One last word from me, SAVE RAIN FORESTS..... and save the many homeless unfortunates including me and my family.
Thanks for stopping by.