Tag: tapir

Learn about how you can help support tapir conservation at the Belize Zoo!

Upon first glance, tapirs are often mistaken for a small hippo, pig or anteater but their closest living relatives are actually horses and rhinos.  Many scientists consider tapirs living fossils because they have roamed the Earth for over 50 million years and haven’t evolved much.  The four living species of …

What is a Tapir? The Central American Tapir (Tapirus bairdii), also known as the Baird’s Tapir or Mountain cow, is the largest indigenous mammal in Central America.  They superficially resemble large pigs, with mature adults weighing between 150 – 300 kg (330 – 660 pounds). The body length ranges between …