World Tapir Day

Posted on 29 April 2022

Today we celebrate World Tapir Day, considered an animal with a fundamental role in the conservation of montane rainforest and Andean paramo ecosystems.
Between May and October 2016, specialists from WWF Peru developed a study in the National Sanctuary of Tabaconas Namballe, located in Cajamarca, that allowed to know this species in greater depth.

The mountain tapir is a mystical animal that lives in the montane rainforest and Andean paramo moors of northern Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. It is known as the architect of forests, because it travels long distances to feed and at the same time disperses fruit seeds and fresh shoots of plants, such as bromeliads, ferns, grasses, herbs, shrubs and trees. The work it does is vital for soil stability, contributing to the proper structure and composition of these ecosystems. 

Despite its great role, it is highly threatened and has been categorized as an endangered species, at the regional level, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, and critically endangered, according to Peruvian legislation (Supreme Decree No. 004-2014-MINAGRI). Therefore, on its day, we want to remember the importance of conserving this mammal and its habitat.

Discover more about the mountain tapir

Among the conclusions of the study developed in 2016 by specialists from WWF Peru, important findings were found. These results were obtained from a detailed review of more than 22 thousand images obtained with camera traps, which were installed in 115 sites with a separation of ~1 km apart.

"The data allowed us to conclude that the tapir occupies 41% of the studied area, predominating in areas with lower slopes, possibly due to the type of vegetation that this mammal prefers to consume," said Fabiola La Rosa, Wildlife Officer of WWF Peru. Similarly, the results suggest that the presence and behavior of the tapir are influenced by human activity, making it more likely to find specimens of this species in the innermost areas of the sanctuary.

Nocturnal tapirs

Did you know that mountain tapirs are predominantly nocturnal? More than half of the records obtained from this animal indicate a greater activity between dusk and dawn.

Finally, it is important to indicate that the study developed by WWF shows the importance of the role played by the Tabaconas Namballe National Sanctuary in the protection of the mountain tapir and the conservation of the paramo and montane forest. By conserving the tapir, we help to protect these ecosystems that capture humidity from the environment, ensuring a stable flow of water that contributes to the total supply of this resource for the benefit of populations that live by the protected area. Happy World Tapir Day!