Malayan Tapir

Tapirus indicus

There are four living species of tapir living today. The Lowland Tapir, Mountain Tapir and Baird’s Tapir are all found in Central and South America, but the Malayan Tapir is native to Malaysia. The Malayan Tapir is unique in it’s apprearance, with a distinctive white stripe down it’s body. These tapirs have been on the endangered list since 2008, with less than 2000 remaining. These numbers continue to drop. This is due to habitat destruction for agricultural, mining and commercial development. This includes illegal logging and the growth of palm oil plantations. They also face threats from poachers.