#ungulate — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #ungulate, aggregated by home.social.
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Ronja the #reindeer gradually takes shape...
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3D by @artskiko.bsky.social -
Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Location: Colombia, Ecuador, northern Peru
Mountain Tapirs inhabit the high Andean cloud forests and páramos above 2,000 metres in the northern Andes. They are found in Colombia’s Central and Eastern Cordilleras, throughout Ecuador including Sangay and Podocarpus National Parks, and into northern Peru, notably in Cajamarca and Lambayeque.
The Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque is one of the most threatened large mammals in the northern Andes, currently listed as Endangered. Their populations have declined by over 50% in the past three decades due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, climate change, and rampant mining. With fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remaining, they are quietly disappearing from their mist-shrouded mountain homes. Human encroachment, infrastructure development, and cattle grazing now invade their last strongholds. Without urgent action, they may vanish forever. Use your wallet as a weapon and fight back when you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife and be #BoycottGold
Sweet-natured Mountain #Tapirs of #Ecuador 🇪🇨 #Peru 🇵🇪 and #Colombia 🇨🇴 face serious threats incl. illegal crops, #gold #mining, #palmoil #deforestation and hunting. Help them survive #BoycottPalmOil 🌴⛔️#BoycottGold 🥇⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/12/28/mountain-tapir-tapirus-pinchaque/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterThe Wooly #Tapir AKA Mountain Tapir gives birth to one calf at a time 🩷😻 They’re #endangered due to a many threats: #climatechange and #pollution from #gold mining. Resist for them! #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottGold 🥇☠️❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/12/28/mountain-tapir-tapirus-pinchaque/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
Also known as the woolly tapir for their thick, dark, shaggy coat, Mountain Tapirs are built to survive in the cold, damp cloud forests and páramo grasslands. Their dense fur, white lips, and prehensile snout give them an almost prehistoric appearance. These solitary and elusive mammals are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, navigating dense foliage with ease. Once thought to be loners, long-term studies in Ecuador have revealed that they form small, close-knit family groups, with calves gradually dispersing over several years (Castellanos et al., 2022).
Threats
Deforestation for palm oil, meat agriculture and illicit opium/coca cultivation
Large swathes of Andean cloud forest and páramo are being cleared to make way for palm oil agricultural expansion, cattle grazing, and opium or coca cultivation. These activities are not only destroying core habitat but also breaking up previously connected populations, leaving tapirs isolated and vulnerable to local extinctions. The introduction of cattle into remote tapir refuges has become increasingly common, even inside designated national parks such as Sangay in Ecuador. This leads to trampling of sensitive vegetation, direct competition for food, and destruction of the unique montane ecosystems that Mountain Tapirs rely on for survival.
Illegal hunting for meat, traditional medicine, and cultural uses
Although hunting pressure has declined slightly in Ecuador due to greater public awareness, it remains severe in Colombia and Peru. Tapirs are killed for their meat, and their skins are used to make traditional tools, horse gear, carpets, and bed covers. Additionally, body parts are sold in local markets or prescribed by shamans for use in traditional medicine. In many remote areas, Mountain Tapirs are still being actively poached, and it is now rare to find populations that are not affected by some form of overhunting.
Gold mining and illegal mining causing deforestation and poisoning of ecosystems
Gold mining projects in the northern Peruvian Andes and central Colombia are rapidly destroying the last cloud forest headwaters and páramo ecosystems where tapirs persist. Both legal and illegal mining operations contaminate streams and watersheds with heavy metals and toxic runoff, which has severe consequences for both tapirs and the human communities downstream. Mining also brings roads, noise, and human settlements into previously inaccessible areas, increasing hunting pressure and reducing available habitat. In some parts of Peru, nearly 30% of the Mountain Tapir’s current range now overlaps with active or planned gold mining concessions (More et al., 2022).
Climate change pushing tapirs further uphill into shrinking habitat
As global temperatures rise, the high-elevation ecosystems where Mountain Tapirs live are shrinking. Suitable climate zones are shifting higher up the mountains, but because mountains have limited space at the top, this forces tapirs into ever smaller areas with fewer food resources. This phenomenon, known as “the escalator to extinction,” is especially dangerous for highland species like the Mountain Tapir, who cannot move downward into warmer zones. Climate change also alters rainfall patterns and vegetation cycles, further straining the species’ delicate habitat requirements.
Road construction and vehicle collisions within protected areas
Infrastructure development is rapidly cutting through mountainous areas, including roads that bisect national parks and reserves. This not only fragments tapir habitat but also leads to direct deaths through vehicle collisions. Once roads are completed, traffic speeds increase and tapirs crossing roads—especially at dawn and dusk—become highly vulnerable. Roads also make previously remote areas more accessible to poachers, settlers, and resource extractors, while local governments often lack sufficient ranger staff to monitor and protect these newly exposed areas.
Fumigation campaigns using toxic chemicals to eradicate drug crops
In Colombia, the government authorises aerial fumigation of coca and poppy fields using glyphosate-based herbicides like Round-Up. These chemicals are sprayed over wide areas, including forests and National Parks, contaminating soil, plants, and water sources. Mountain Tapirs can absorb these toxins through skin contact or ingestion, potentially leading to illness, reproductive failure, or death. Fumigation also destroys native plants that tapirs rely on for food, further decreasing habitat quality in affected areas.
Widespread introduction of cattle and the threat of disease transmission
Domestic cattle are increasingly being introduced into mountain tapir habitat, especially within protected areas where enforcement is weak. These animals not only compete with tapirs for forage but also carry diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and foot-and-mouth disease. Disease outbreaks have already been documented among tapirs in other parts of Latin America and pose a serious threat to small, isolated populations. In the Andes, cattle often form feral herds that reproduce and spread deep into cloud forests, further eroding habitat integrity and increasing the risk of tapir extinction.
Weak enforcement of environmental laws and lack of large protected areas in Peru
Although some Mountain Tapir habitat falls within designated protected areas, law enforcement in Peru is generally under-resourced and poorly coordinated. Rangers are too few to patrol vast mountainous regions effectively, and illegal activities such as mining, logging, and hunting continue within protected boundaries. Furthermore, most reserves are too small or fragmented to support viable tapir populations over the long term. Without stronger policies, larger protected zones, and meaningful binational cooperation with Ecuador and Colombia, tapirs in Peru face an uncertain future.
Low reproductive rate and slow population recovery
Mountain Tapirs have a long gestation period of around 13 months and typically produce only one calf at a time, meaning population growth is inherently slow. When combined with high mortality from hunting, roadkill, and disease, their populations cannot recover quickly from losses. Calves stay with their mothers for extended periods, further limiting reproductive output. This slow life cycle makes the species particularly vulnerable to sudden or sustained threats across their fragmented range.
Geographic Range
This species is found in the high Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and northernmost Peru. In Colombia, they are present in the Central and Eastern Cordilleras but are absent from the Western Cordillera and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. In Ecuador, they range from the central Andes down through Sangay National Park to Podocarpus, with new records emerging from previously unconnected areas in the western Andes. In Peru, they occur north and south of the Huancabamba River in Cajamarca and Lambayeque (More et al., 2022). The total range in Peru is estimated at 183,000 hectares, but mining concessions cover nearly 30% of this habitat.
Diet
Mountain Tapirs are browsers, feeding on a wide variety of vegetation including leaves, shoots, fruits, and bromeliads. Their diet varies depending on the availability of plants within their high-altitude habitats, playing an important role as seed dispersers within these fragile ecosystems.
Mating and Reproduction
Mountain Tapirs have a slow reproductive rate, with a gestation period of approximately 13 months. Females typically give birth to a single calf, which stays with them for several months or even years before dispersing. Calves are born with white stripes and spots that fade as they mature. Their slow breeding cycle makes it difficult for populations to recover from hunting and habitat loss.
FAQs
How many Mountain Tapirs are left in the wild?
Fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remain in the wild, and the population is continuing to decline by at least 20% every two decades due to ongoing threats like habitat destruction, hunting, and climate change (IUCN, 2015).
What is the average lifespan of a Mountain Tapir?
In the wild, Mountain Tapirs may live up to 25 years, though this is significantly affected by environmental threats. Captive individuals can live slightly longer under safe and controlled conditions.
What are the biggest challenges to conserving Mountain Tapirs?
Major challenges include habitat fragmentation due to road construction, agriculture, and mining; the presence of armed conflict zones that hinder research and protection; and the slow reproduction rate of the species, which makes population recovery difficult (Guzmán-Valencia et al., 2024; More et al., 2022).
Do Mountain Tapirs make good pets?
No. Keeping a Mountain Tapir as a pet is unethical and illegal. These intelligent, solitary animals require large, wild habitats to survive. Capturing and trading them causes immense suffering and drives the species further toward extinction. Advocating against the exotic pet trade is vital to their survival.
Take Action!
Boycott palm oil and products linked to Andean deforestation. Support indigenous-led conservation and agroecology initiatives in the Andes. Call for stronger protections against mining and deforestation in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Refuse to buy exotic animal products, including those used in folk medicine. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support Mountain Tapirs by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Castellanos, A., Dadone, L., Ascanta, M., & Pukazhenthi, B. (2022). Andean tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) social groups and calf dispersal patterns in Ecuador. Boletín Técnico, Serie Zoológica, 17, 9–14. Retrieved from https://journal.espe.edu.ec/ojs/index.php/revista-serie-zoologica/article/view/2858
Delborgo Abra, F., Medici, P., Brenes-Mora, E., & Castelhanos, A. (2024). The Impact of Roads and Traffic on Tapir Species. In Tapirs of the World (pp. 157–165). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-65311-7_10
Guzmán-Valencia, C., Castrillón, L., Roncancio Duque, N., & Márquez, R. (2024). Co-Occurrence, Occupancy and Habitat Use of the Andean Bear and Mountain Tapir: Insights for Conservation Management in the Colombian Andes. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5061561
Lizcano, D.J., Amanzo, J., Castellanos, A., Tapia, A. & Lopez-Malaga, C.M. 2016. Tapirus pinchaque. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T21473A45173922. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T21473A45173922.en. Accessed on 06 April 2025.
More, A., Devenish, C., Carrillo-Tavara, K., Piana, R. P., Lopez-Malaga, C., Vega-Guarderas, Z., & Nuñez-Cortez, E. (2022). Distribution and conservation status of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in Peru. Journal for Nature Conservation, 66, 126130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126130
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,174 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGFrill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii
Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum
Ecuadorean Viscacha Lagidium ahuacaense
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more#animals #Bantrophyhunting #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottGold #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #cattle #climateChange #climatechange #Colombia #deforestation #Ecuador #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #ForgottenAnimals #gold #herbivore #herbivores #hunting #infrastructure #lowlandTapir #Mammal #mammals #mining #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #Peru #poaching #pollution #Tapir #Tapirs #ungulate #ungulates #vegan
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Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Location: Colombia, Ecuador, northern Peru
Mountain Tapirs inhabit the high Andean cloud forests and páramos above 2,000 metres in the northern Andes. They are found in Colombia’s Central and Eastern Cordilleras, throughout Ecuador including Sangay and Podocarpus National Parks, and into northern Peru, notably in Cajamarca and Lambayeque.
The Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque is one of the most threatened large mammals in the northern Andes, currently listed as Endangered. Their populations have declined by over 50% in the past three decades due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, climate change, and rampant mining. With fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remaining, they are quietly disappearing from their mist-shrouded mountain homes. Human encroachment, infrastructure development, and cattle grazing now invade their last strongholds. Without urgent action, they may vanish forever. Use your wallet as a weapon and fight back when you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife and be #BoycottGold
Sweet-natured Mountain #Tapirs of #Ecuador 🇪🇨 #Peru 🇵🇪 and #Colombia 🇨🇴 face serious threats incl. illegal crops, #gold #mining, #palmoil #deforestation and hunting. Help them survive #BoycottPalmOil 🌴⛔️#BoycottGold 🥇⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/12/28/mountain-tapir-tapirus-pinchaque/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterThe Wooly #Tapir AKA Mountain Tapir gives birth to one calf at a time 🩷😻 They’re #endangered due to a many threats: #climatechange and #pollution from #gold mining. Resist for them! #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottGold 🥇☠️❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/12/28/mountain-tapir-tapirus-pinchaque/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
Also known as the woolly tapir for their thick, dark, shaggy coat, Mountain Tapirs are built to survive in the cold, damp cloud forests and páramo grasslands. Their dense fur, white lips, and prehensile snout give them an almost prehistoric appearance. These solitary and elusive mammals are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, navigating dense foliage with ease. Once thought to be loners, long-term studies in Ecuador have revealed that they form small, close-knit family groups, with calves gradually dispersing over several years (Castellanos et al., 2022).
Threats
Deforestation for palm oil, meat agriculture and illicit opium/coca cultivation
Large swathes of Andean cloud forest and páramo are being cleared to make way for palm oil agricultural expansion, cattle grazing, and opium or coca cultivation. These activities are not only destroying core habitat but also breaking up previously connected populations, leaving tapirs isolated and vulnerable to local extinctions. The introduction of cattle into remote tapir refuges has become increasingly common, even inside designated national parks such as Sangay in Ecuador. This leads to trampling of sensitive vegetation, direct competition for food, and destruction of the unique montane ecosystems that Mountain Tapirs rely on for survival.
Illegal hunting for meat, traditional medicine, and cultural uses
Although hunting pressure has declined slightly in Ecuador due to greater public awareness, it remains severe in Colombia and Peru. Tapirs are killed for their meat, and their skins are used to make traditional tools, horse gear, carpets, and bed covers. Additionally, body parts are sold in local markets or prescribed by shamans for use in traditional medicine. In many remote areas, Mountain Tapirs are still being actively poached, and it is now rare to find populations that are not affected by some form of overhunting.
Gold mining and illegal mining causing deforestation and poisoning of ecosystems
Gold mining projects in the northern Peruvian Andes and central Colombia are rapidly destroying the last cloud forest headwaters and páramo ecosystems where tapirs persist. Both legal and illegal mining operations contaminate streams and watersheds with heavy metals and toxic runoff, which has severe consequences for both tapirs and the human communities downstream. Mining also brings roads, noise, and human settlements into previously inaccessible areas, increasing hunting pressure and reducing available habitat. In some parts of Peru, nearly 30% of the Mountain Tapir’s current range now overlaps with active or planned gold mining concessions (More et al., 2022).
Climate change pushing tapirs further uphill into shrinking habitat
As global temperatures rise, the high-elevation ecosystems where Mountain Tapirs live are shrinking. Suitable climate zones are shifting higher up the mountains, but because mountains have limited space at the top, this forces tapirs into ever smaller areas with fewer food resources. This phenomenon, known as “the escalator to extinction,” is especially dangerous for highland species like the Mountain Tapir, who cannot move downward into warmer zones. Climate change also alters rainfall patterns and vegetation cycles, further straining the species’ delicate habitat requirements.
Road construction and vehicle collisions within protected areas
Infrastructure development is rapidly cutting through mountainous areas, including roads that bisect national parks and reserves. This not only fragments tapir habitat but also leads to direct deaths through vehicle collisions. Once roads are completed, traffic speeds increase and tapirs crossing roads—especially at dawn and dusk—become highly vulnerable. Roads also make previously remote areas more accessible to poachers, settlers, and resource extractors, while local governments often lack sufficient ranger staff to monitor and protect these newly exposed areas.
Fumigation campaigns using toxic chemicals to eradicate drug crops
In Colombia, the government authorises aerial fumigation of coca and poppy fields using glyphosate-based herbicides like Round-Up. These chemicals are sprayed over wide areas, including forests and National Parks, contaminating soil, plants, and water sources. Mountain Tapirs can absorb these toxins through skin contact or ingestion, potentially leading to illness, reproductive failure, or death. Fumigation also destroys native plants that tapirs rely on for food, further decreasing habitat quality in affected areas.
Widespread introduction of cattle and the threat of disease transmission
Domestic cattle are increasingly being introduced into mountain tapir habitat, especially within protected areas where enforcement is weak. These animals not only compete with tapirs for forage but also carry diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and foot-and-mouth disease. Disease outbreaks have already been documented among tapirs in other parts of Latin America and pose a serious threat to small, isolated populations. In the Andes, cattle often form feral herds that reproduce and spread deep into cloud forests, further eroding habitat integrity and increasing the risk of tapir extinction.
Weak enforcement of environmental laws and lack of large protected areas in Peru
Although some Mountain Tapir habitat falls within designated protected areas, law enforcement in Peru is generally under-resourced and poorly coordinated. Rangers are too few to patrol vast mountainous regions effectively, and illegal activities such as mining, logging, and hunting continue within protected boundaries. Furthermore, most reserves are too small or fragmented to support viable tapir populations over the long term. Without stronger policies, larger protected zones, and meaningful binational cooperation with Ecuador and Colombia, tapirs in Peru face an uncertain future.
Low reproductive rate and slow population recovery
Mountain Tapirs have a long gestation period of around 13 months and typically produce only one calf at a time, meaning population growth is inherently slow. When combined with high mortality from hunting, roadkill, and disease, their populations cannot recover quickly from losses. Calves stay with their mothers for extended periods, further limiting reproductive output. This slow life cycle makes the species particularly vulnerable to sudden or sustained threats across their fragmented range.
Geographic Range
This species is found in the high Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and northernmost Peru. In Colombia, they are present in the Central and Eastern Cordilleras but are absent from the Western Cordillera and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. In Ecuador, they range from the central Andes down through Sangay National Park to Podocarpus, with new records emerging from previously unconnected areas in the western Andes. In Peru, they occur north and south of the Huancabamba River in Cajamarca and Lambayeque (More et al., 2022). The total range in Peru is estimated at 183,000 hectares, but mining concessions cover nearly 30% of this habitat.
Diet
Mountain Tapirs are browsers, feeding on a wide variety of vegetation including leaves, shoots, fruits, and bromeliads. Their diet varies depending on the availability of plants within their high-altitude habitats, playing an important role as seed dispersers within these fragile ecosystems.
Mating and Reproduction
Mountain Tapirs have a slow reproductive rate, with a gestation period of approximately 13 months. Females typically give birth to a single calf, which stays with them for several months or even years before dispersing. Calves are born with white stripes and spots that fade as they mature. Their slow breeding cycle makes it difficult for populations to recover from hunting and habitat loss.
FAQs
How many Mountain Tapirs are left in the wild?
Fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remain in the wild, and the population is continuing to decline by at least 20% every two decades due to ongoing threats like habitat destruction, hunting, and climate change (IUCN, 2015).
What is the average lifespan of a Mountain Tapir?
In the wild, Mountain Tapirs may live up to 25 years, though this is significantly affected by environmental threats. Captive individuals can live slightly longer under safe and controlled conditions.
What are the biggest challenges to conserving Mountain Tapirs?
Major challenges include habitat fragmentation due to road construction, agriculture, and mining; the presence of armed conflict zones that hinder research and protection; and the slow reproduction rate of the species, which makes population recovery difficult (Guzmán-Valencia et al., 2024; More et al., 2022).
Do Mountain Tapirs make good pets?
No. Keeping a Mountain Tapir as a pet is unethical and illegal. These intelligent, solitary animals require large, wild habitats to survive. Capturing and trading them causes immense suffering and drives the species further toward extinction. Advocating against the exotic pet trade is vital to their survival.
Take Action!
Boycott palm oil and products linked to Andean deforestation. Support indigenous-led conservation and agroecology initiatives in the Andes. Call for stronger protections against mining and deforestation in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Refuse to buy exotic animal products, including those used in folk medicine. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support Mountain Tapirs by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Castellanos, A., Dadone, L., Ascanta, M., & Pukazhenthi, B. (2022). Andean tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) social groups and calf dispersal patterns in Ecuador. Boletín Técnico, Serie Zoológica, 17, 9–14. Retrieved from https://journal.espe.edu.ec/ojs/index.php/revista-serie-zoologica/article/view/2858
Delborgo Abra, F., Medici, P., Brenes-Mora, E., & Castelhanos, A. (2024). The Impact of Roads and Traffic on Tapir Species. In Tapirs of the World (pp. 157–165). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-65311-7_10
Guzmán-Valencia, C., Castrillón, L., Roncancio Duque, N., & Márquez, R. (2024). Co-Occurrence, Occupancy and Habitat Use of the Andean Bear and Mountain Tapir: Insights for Conservation Management in the Colombian Andes. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5061561
Lizcano, D.J., Amanzo, J., Castellanos, A., Tapia, A. & Lopez-Malaga, C.M. 2016. Tapirus pinchaque. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T21473A45173922. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T21473A45173922.en. Accessed on 06 April 2025.
More, A., Devenish, C., Carrillo-Tavara, K., Piana, R. P., Lopez-Malaga, C., Vega-Guarderas, Z., & Nuñez-Cortez, E. (2022). Distribution and conservation status of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in Peru. Journal for Nature Conservation, 66, 126130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126130
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,174 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Frill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii
Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum
Ecuadorean Viscacha Lagidium ahuacaense
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more#animals #Bantrophyhunting #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottGold #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #cattle #climateChange #climatechange #Colombia #deforestation #Ecuador #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #ForgottenAnimals #gold #herbivore #herbivores #hunting #infrastructure #lowlandTapir #Mammal #mammals #mining #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #Peru #poaching #pollution #Tapir #Tapirs #ungulate #ungulates #vegan
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Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Location: Colombia, Ecuador, northern Peru
Mountain Tapirs inhabit the high Andean cloud forests and páramos above 2,000 metres in the northern Andes. They are found in Colombia’s Central and Eastern Cordilleras, throughout Ecuador including Sangay and Podocarpus National Parks, and into northern Peru, notably in Cajamarca and Lambayeque.
The Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque is one of the most threatened large mammals in the northern Andes, currently listed as Endangered. Their populations have declined by over 50% in the past three decades due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, climate change, and rampant mining. With fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remaining, they are quietly disappearing from their mist-shrouded mountain homes. Human encroachment, infrastructure development, and cattle grazing now invade their last strongholds. Without urgent action, they may vanish forever. Use your wallet as a weapon and fight back when you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife and be #BoycottGold
Sweet-natured Mountain #Tapirs of #Ecuador 🇪🇨 #Peru 🇵🇪 and #Colombia 🇨🇴 face serious threats incl. illegal crops, #gold #mining, #palmoil #deforestation and hunting. Help them survive #BoycottPalmOil 🌴⛔️#BoycottGold 🥇⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/12/28/mountain-tapir-tapirus-pinchaque/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterThe Wooly #Tapir AKA Mountain Tapir gives birth to one calf at a time 🩷😻 They’re #endangered due to a many threats: #climatechange and #pollution from #gold mining. Resist for them! #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottGold 🥇☠️❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/12/28/mountain-tapir-tapirus-pinchaque/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
Also known as the woolly tapir for their thick, dark, shaggy coat, Mountain Tapirs are built to survive in the cold, damp cloud forests and páramo grasslands. Their dense fur, white lips, and prehensile snout give them an almost prehistoric appearance. These solitary and elusive mammals are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, navigating dense foliage with ease. Once thought to be loners, long-term studies in Ecuador have revealed that they form small, close-knit family groups, with calves gradually dispersing over several years (Castellanos et al., 2022).
Threats
Deforestation for palm oil, meat agriculture and illicit opium/coca cultivation
Large swathes of Andean cloud forest and páramo are being cleared to make way for palm oil agricultural expansion, cattle grazing, and opium or coca cultivation. These activities are not only destroying core habitat but also breaking up previously connected populations, leaving tapirs isolated and vulnerable to local extinctions. The introduction of cattle into remote tapir refuges has become increasingly common, even inside designated national parks such as Sangay in Ecuador. This leads to trampling of sensitive vegetation, direct competition for food, and destruction of the unique montane ecosystems that Mountain Tapirs rely on for survival.
Illegal hunting for meat, traditional medicine, and cultural uses
Although hunting pressure has declined slightly in Ecuador due to greater public awareness, it remains severe in Colombia and Peru. Tapirs are killed for their meat, and their skins are used to make traditional tools, horse gear, carpets, and bed covers. Additionally, body parts are sold in local markets or prescribed by shamans for use in traditional medicine. In many remote areas, Mountain Tapirs are still being actively poached, and it is now rare to find populations that are not affected by some form of overhunting.
Gold mining and illegal mining causing deforestation and poisoning of ecosystems
Gold mining projects in the northern Peruvian Andes and central Colombia are rapidly destroying the last cloud forest headwaters and páramo ecosystems where tapirs persist. Both legal and illegal mining operations contaminate streams and watersheds with heavy metals and toxic runoff, which has severe consequences for both tapirs and the human communities downstream. Mining also brings roads, noise, and human settlements into previously inaccessible areas, increasing hunting pressure and reducing available habitat. In some parts of Peru, nearly 30% of the Mountain Tapir’s current range now overlaps with active or planned gold mining concessions (More et al., 2022).
Climate change pushing tapirs further uphill into shrinking habitat
As global temperatures rise, the high-elevation ecosystems where Mountain Tapirs live are shrinking. Suitable climate zones are shifting higher up the mountains, but because mountains have limited space at the top, this forces tapirs into ever smaller areas with fewer food resources. This phenomenon, known as “the escalator to extinction,” is especially dangerous for highland species like the Mountain Tapir, who cannot move downward into warmer zones. Climate change also alters rainfall patterns and vegetation cycles, further straining the species’ delicate habitat requirements.
Road construction and vehicle collisions within protected areas
Infrastructure development is rapidly cutting through mountainous areas, including roads that bisect national parks and reserves. This not only fragments tapir habitat but also leads to direct deaths through vehicle collisions. Once roads are completed, traffic speeds increase and tapirs crossing roads—especially at dawn and dusk—become highly vulnerable. Roads also make previously remote areas more accessible to poachers, settlers, and resource extractors, while local governments often lack sufficient ranger staff to monitor and protect these newly exposed areas.
Fumigation campaigns using toxic chemicals to eradicate drug crops
In Colombia, the government authorises aerial fumigation of coca and poppy fields using glyphosate-based herbicides like Round-Up. These chemicals are sprayed over wide areas, including forests and National Parks, contaminating soil, plants, and water sources. Mountain Tapirs can absorb these toxins through skin contact or ingestion, potentially leading to illness, reproductive failure, or death. Fumigation also destroys native plants that tapirs rely on for food, further decreasing habitat quality in affected areas.
Widespread introduction of cattle and the threat of disease transmission
Domestic cattle are increasingly being introduced into mountain tapir habitat, especially within protected areas where enforcement is weak. These animals not only compete with tapirs for forage but also carry diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and foot-and-mouth disease. Disease outbreaks have already been documented among tapirs in other parts of Latin America and pose a serious threat to small, isolated populations. In the Andes, cattle often form feral herds that reproduce and spread deep into cloud forests, further eroding habitat integrity and increasing the risk of tapir extinction.
Weak enforcement of environmental laws and lack of large protected areas in Peru
Although some Mountain Tapir habitat falls within designated protected areas, law enforcement in Peru is generally under-resourced and poorly coordinated. Rangers are too few to patrol vast mountainous regions effectively, and illegal activities such as mining, logging, and hunting continue within protected boundaries. Furthermore, most reserves are too small or fragmented to support viable tapir populations over the long term. Without stronger policies, larger protected zones, and meaningful binational cooperation with Ecuador and Colombia, tapirs in Peru face an uncertain future.
Low reproductive rate and slow population recovery
Mountain Tapirs have a long gestation period of around 13 months and typically produce only one calf at a time, meaning population growth is inherently slow. When combined with high mortality from hunting, roadkill, and disease, their populations cannot recover quickly from losses. Calves stay with their mothers for extended periods, further limiting reproductive output. This slow life cycle makes the species particularly vulnerable to sudden or sustained threats across their fragmented range.
Geographic Range
This species is found in the high Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and northernmost Peru. In Colombia, they are present in the Central and Eastern Cordilleras but are absent from the Western Cordillera and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. In Ecuador, they range from the central Andes down through Sangay National Park to Podocarpus, with new records emerging from previously unconnected areas in the western Andes. In Peru, they occur north and south of the Huancabamba River in Cajamarca and Lambayeque (More et al., 2022). The total range in Peru is estimated at 183,000 hectares, but mining concessions cover nearly 30% of this habitat.
Diet
Mountain Tapirs are browsers, feeding on a wide variety of vegetation including leaves, shoots, fruits, and bromeliads. Their diet varies depending on the availability of plants within their high-altitude habitats, playing an important role as seed dispersers within these fragile ecosystems.
Mating and Reproduction
Mountain Tapirs have a slow reproductive rate, with a gestation period of approximately 13 months. Females typically give birth to a single calf, which stays with them for several months or even years before dispersing. Calves are born with white stripes and spots that fade as they mature. Their slow breeding cycle makes it difficult for populations to recover from hunting and habitat loss.
FAQs
How many Mountain Tapirs are left in the wild?
Fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remain in the wild, and the population is continuing to decline by at least 20% every two decades due to ongoing threats like habitat destruction, hunting, and climate change (IUCN, 2015).
What is the average lifespan of a Mountain Tapir?
In the wild, Mountain Tapirs may live up to 25 years, though this is significantly affected by environmental threats. Captive individuals can live slightly longer under safe and controlled conditions.
What are the biggest challenges to conserving Mountain Tapirs?
Major challenges include habitat fragmentation due to road construction, agriculture, and mining; the presence of armed conflict zones that hinder research and protection; and the slow reproduction rate of the species, which makes population recovery difficult (Guzmán-Valencia et al., 2024; More et al., 2022).
Do Mountain Tapirs make good pets?
No. Keeping a Mountain Tapir as a pet is unethical and illegal. These intelligent, solitary animals require large, wild habitats to survive. Capturing and trading them causes immense suffering and drives the species further toward extinction. Advocating against the exotic pet trade is vital to their survival.
Take Action!
Boycott palm oil and products linked to Andean deforestation. Support indigenous-led conservation and agroecology initiatives in the Andes. Call for stronger protections against mining and deforestation in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Refuse to buy exotic animal products, including those used in folk medicine. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support Mountain Tapirs by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Castellanos, A., Dadone, L., Ascanta, M., & Pukazhenthi, B. (2022). Andean tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) social groups and calf dispersal patterns in Ecuador. Boletín Técnico, Serie Zoológica, 17, 9–14. Retrieved from https://journal.espe.edu.ec/ojs/index.php/revista-serie-zoologica/article/view/2858
Delborgo Abra, F., Medici, P., Brenes-Mora, E., & Castelhanos, A. (2024). The Impact of Roads and Traffic on Tapir Species. In Tapirs of the World (pp. 157–165). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-65311-7_10
Guzmán-Valencia, C., Castrillón, L., Roncancio Duque, N., & Márquez, R. (2024). Co-Occurrence, Occupancy and Habitat Use of the Andean Bear and Mountain Tapir: Insights for Conservation Management in the Colombian Andes. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5061561
Lizcano, D.J., Amanzo, J., Castellanos, A., Tapia, A. & Lopez-Malaga, C.M. 2016. Tapirus pinchaque. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T21473A45173922. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T21473A45173922.en. Accessed on 06 April 2025.
More, A., Devenish, C., Carrillo-Tavara, K., Piana, R. P., Lopez-Malaga, C., Vega-Guarderas, Z., & Nuñez-Cortez, E. (2022). Distribution and conservation status of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in Peru. Journal for Nature Conservation, 66, 126130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126130
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,174 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
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Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGFrill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii
Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum
Ecuadorean Viscacha Lagidium ahuacaense
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more#animals #Bantrophyhunting #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottGold #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #cattle #climateChange #climatechange #Colombia #deforestation #Ecuador #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #ForgottenAnimals #gold #herbivore #herbivores #hunting #infrastructure #lowlandTapir #Mammal #mammals #mining #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #Peru #poaching #pollution #Tapir #Tapirs #ungulate #ungulates #vegan
-
Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Location: Colombia, Ecuador, northern Peru
Mountain Tapirs inhabit the high Andean cloud forests and páramos above 2,000 metres in the northern Andes. They are found in Colombia’s Central and Eastern Cordilleras, throughout Ecuador including Sangay and Podocarpus National Parks, and into northern Peru, notably in Cajamarca and Lambayeque.
The Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque is one of the most threatened large mammals in the northern Andes, currently listed as Endangered. Their populations have declined by over 50% in the past three decades due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, climate change, and rampant mining. With fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remaining, they are quietly disappearing from their mist-shrouded mountain homes. Human encroachment, infrastructure development, and cattle grazing now invade their last strongholds. Without urgent action, they may vanish forever. Use your wallet as a weapon and fight back when you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife and be #BoycottGold
Sweet-natured Mountain #Tapirs of #Ecuador 🇪🇨 #Peru 🇵🇪 and #Colombia 🇨🇴 face serious threats incl. illegal crops, #gold #mining, #palmoil #deforestation and hunting. Help them survive #BoycottPalmOil 🌴⛔️#BoycottGold 🥇⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/12/28/mountain-tapir-tapirus-pinchaque/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterThe Wooly #Tapir AKA Mountain Tapir gives birth to one calf at a time 🩷😻 They’re #endangered due to a many threats: #climatechange and #pollution from #gold mining. Resist for them! #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottGold 🥇☠️❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/12/28/mountain-tapir-tapirus-pinchaque/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
Also known as the woolly tapir for their thick, dark, shaggy coat, Mountain Tapirs are built to survive in the cold, damp cloud forests and páramo grasslands. Their dense fur, white lips, and prehensile snout give them an almost prehistoric appearance. These solitary and elusive mammals are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, navigating dense foliage with ease. Once thought to be loners, long-term studies in Ecuador have revealed that they form small, close-knit family groups, with calves gradually dispersing over several years (Castellanos et al., 2022).
Threats
Deforestation for palm oil, meat agriculture and illicit opium/coca cultivation
Large swathes of Andean cloud forest and páramo are being cleared to make way for palm oil agricultural expansion, cattle grazing, and opium or coca cultivation. These activities are not only destroying core habitat but also breaking up previously connected populations, leaving tapirs isolated and vulnerable to local extinctions. The introduction of cattle into remote tapir refuges has become increasingly common, even inside designated national parks such as Sangay in Ecuador. This leads to trampling of sensitive vegetation, direct competition for food, and destruction of the unique montane ecosystems that Mountain Tapirs rely on for survival.
Illegal hunting for meat, traditional medicine, and cultural uses
Although hunting pressure has declined slightly in Ecuador due to greater public awareness, it remains severe in Colombia and Peru. Tapirs are killed for their meat, and their skins are used to make traditional tools, horse gear, carpets, and bed covers. Additionally, body parts are sold in local markets or prescribed by shamans for use in traditional medicine. In many remote areas, Mountain Tapirs are still being actively poached, and it is now rare to find populations that are not affected by some form of overhunting.
Gold mining and illegal mining causing deforestation and poisoning of ecosystems
Gold mining projects in the northern Peruvian Andes and central Colombia are rapidly destroying the last cloud forest headwaters and páramo ecosystems where tapirs persist. Both legal and illegal mining operations contaminate streams and watersheds with heavy metals and toxic runoff, which has severe consequences for both tapirs and the human communities downstream. Mining also brings roads, noise, and human settlements into previously inaccessible areas, increasing hunting pressure and reducing available habitat. In some parts of Peru, nearly 30% of the Mountain Tapir’s current range now overlaps with active or planned gold mining concessions (More et al., 2022).
Climate change pushing tapirs further uphill into shrinking habitat
As global temperatures rise, the high-elevation ecosystems where Mountain Tapirs live are shrinking. Suitable climate zones are shifting higher up the mountains, but because mountains have limited space at the top, this forces tapirs into ever smaller areas with fewer food resources. This phenomenon, known as “the escalator to extinction,” is especially dangerous for highland species like the Mountain Tapir, who cannot move downward into warmer zones. Climate change also alters rainfall patterns and vegetation cycles, further straining the species’ delicate habitat requirements.
Road construction and vehicle collisions within protected areas
Infrastructure development is rapidly cutting through mountainous areas, including roads that bisect national parks and reserves. This not only fragments tapir habitat but also leads to direct deaths through vehicle collisions. Once roads are completed, traffic speeds increase and tapirs crossing roads—especially at dawn and dusk—become highly vulnerable. Roads also make previously remote areas more accessible to poachers, settlers, and resource extractors, while local governments often lack sufficient ranger staff to monitor and protect these newly exposed areas.
Fumigation campaigns using toxic chemicals to eradicate drug crops
In Colombia, the government authorises aerial fumigation of coca and poppy fields using glyphosate-based herbicides like Round-Up. These chemicals are sprayed over wide areas, including forests and National Parks, contaminating soil, plants, and water sources. Mountain Tapirs can absorb these toxins through skin contact or ingestion, potentially leading to illness, reproductive failure, or death. Fumigation also destroys native plants that tapirs rely on for food, further decreasing habitat quality in affected areas.
Widespread introduction of cattle and the threat of disease transmission
Domestic cattle are increasingly being introduced into mountain tapir habitat, especially within protected areas where enforcement is weak. These animals not only compete with tapirs for forage but also carry diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and foot-and-mouth disease. Disease outbreaks have already been documented among tapirs in other parts of Latin America and pose a serious threat to small, isolated populations. In the Andes, cattle often form feral herds that reproduce and spread deep into cloud forests, further eroding habitat integrity and increasing the risk of tapir extinction.
Weak enforcement of environmental laws and lack of large protected areas in Peru
Although some Mountain Tapir habitat falls within designated protected areas, law enforcement in Peru is generally under-resourced and poorly coordinated. Rangers are too few to patrol vast mountainous regions effectively, and illegal activities such as mining, logging, and hunting continue within protected boundaries. Furthermore, most reserves are too small or fragmented to support viable tapir populations over the long term. Without stronger policies, larger protected zones, and meaningful binational cooperation with Ecuador and Colombia, tapirs in Peru face an uncertain future.
Low reproductive rate and slow population recovery
Mountain Tapirs have a long gestation period of around 13 months and typically produce only one calf at a time, meaning population growth is inherently slow. When combined with high mortality from hunting, roadkill, and disease, their populations cannot recover quickly from losses. Calves stay with their mothers for extended periods, further limiting reproductive output. This slow life cycle makes the species particularly vulnerable to sudden or sustained threats across their fragmented range.
Geographic Range
This species is found in the high Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and northernmost Peru. In Colombia, they are present in the Central and Eastern Cordilleras but are absent from the Western Cordillera and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. In Ecuador, they range from the central Andes down through Sangay National Park to Podocarpus, with new records emerging from previously unconnected areas in the western Andes. In Peru, they occur north and south of the Huancabamba River in Cajamarca and Lambayeque (More et al., 2022). The total range in Peru is estimated at 183,000 hectares, but mining concessions cover nearly 30% of this habitat.
Diet
Mountain Tapirs are browsers, feeding on a wide variety of vegetation including leaves, shoots, fruits, and bromeliads. Their diet varies depending on the availability of plants within their high-altitude habitats, playing an important role as seed dispersers within these fragile ecosystems.
Mating and Reproduction
Mountain Tapirs have a slow reproductive rate, with a gestation period of approximately 13 months. Females typically give birth to a single calf, which stays with them for several months or even years before dispersing. Calves are born with white stripes and spots that fade as they mature. Their slow breeding cycle makes it difficult for populations to recover from hunting and habitat loss.
FAQs
How many Mountain Tapirs are left in the wild?
Fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remain in the wild, and the population is continuing to decline by at least 20% every two decades due to ongoing threats like habitat destruction, hunting, and climate change (IUCN, 2015).
What is the average lifespan of a Mountain Tapir?
In the wild, Mountain Tapirs may live up to 25 years, though this is significantly affected by environmental threats. Captive individuals can live slightly longer under safe and controlled conditions.
What are the biggest challenges to conserving Mountain Tapirs?
Major challenges include habitat fragmentation due to road construction, agriculture, and mining; the presence of armed conflict zones that hinder research and protection; and the slow reproduction rate of the species, which makes population recovery difficult (Guzmán-Valencia et al., 2024; More et al., 2022).
Do Mountain Tapirs make good pets?
No. Keeping a Mountain Tapir as a pet is unethical and illegal. These intelligent, solitary animals require large, wild habitats to survive. Capturing and trading them causes immense suffering and drives the species further toward extinction. Advocating against the exotic pet trade is vital to their survival.
Take Action!
Boycott palm oil and products linked to Andean deforestation. Support indigenous-led conservation and agroecology initiatives in the Andes. Call for stronger protections against mining and deforestation in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Refuse to buy exotic animal products, including those used in folk medicine. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support Mountain Tapirs by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Castellanos, A., Dadone, L., Ascanta, M., & Pukazhenthi, B. (2022). Andean tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) social groups and calf dispersal patterns in Ecuador. Boletín Técnico, Serie Zoológica, 17, 9–14. Retrieved from https://journal.espe.edu.ec/ojs/index.php/revista-serie-zoologica/article/view/2858
Delborgo Abra, F., Medici, P., Brenes-Mora, E., & Castelhanos, A. (2024). The Impact of Roads and Traffic on Tapir Species. In Tapirs of the World (pp. 157–165). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-65311-7_10
Guzmán-Valencia, C., Castrillón, L., Roncancio Duque, N., & Márquez, R. (2024). Co-Occurrence, Occupancy and Habitat Use of the Andean Bear and Mountain Tapir: Insights for Conservation Management in the Colombian Andes. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5061561
Lizcano, D.J., Amanzo, J., Castellanos, A., Tapia, A. & Lopez-Malaga, C.M. 2016. Tapirus pinchaque. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T21473A45173922. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T21473A45173922.en. Accessed on 06 April 2025.
More, A., Devenish, C., Carrillo-Tavara, K., Piana, R. P., Lopez-Malaga, C., Vega-Guarderas, Z., & Nuñez-Cortez, E. (2022). Distribution and conservation status of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in Peru. Journal for Nature Conservation, 66, 126130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126130
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,174 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGFrill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii
Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum
Ecuadorean Viscacha Lagidium ahuacaense
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more#animals #Bantrophyhunting #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottGold #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #cattle #climateChange #climatechange #Colombia #deforestation #Ecuador #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #ForgottenAnimals #gold #herbivore #herbivores #hunting #infrastructure #lowlandTapir #Mammal #mammals #mining #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #Peru #poaching #pollution #Tapir #Tapirs #ungulate #ungulates #vegan
-
Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Location: Colombia, Ecuador, northern Peru
Mountain Tapirs inhabit the high Andean cloud forests and páramos above 2,000 metres in the northern Andes. They are found in Colombia’s Central and Eastern Cordilleras, throughout Ecuador including Sangay and Podocarpus National Parks, and into northern Peru, notably in Cajamarca and Lambayeque.
The Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque is one of the most threatened large mammals in the northern Andes, currently listed as Endangered. Their populations have declined by over 50% in the past three decades due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, climate change, and rampant mining. With fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remaining, they are quietly disappearing from their mist-shrouded mountain homes. Human encroachment, infrastructure development, and cattle grazing now invade their last strongholds. Without urgent action, they may vanish forever. Use your wallet as a weapon and fight back when you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife and be #BoycottGold
Sweet-natured Mountain #Tapirs of #Ecuador 🇪🇨 #Peru 🇵🇪 and #Colombia 🇨🇴 face serious threats incl. illegal crops, #gold #mining, #palmoil #deforestation and hunting. Help them survive #BoycottPalmOil 🌴⛔️#BoycottGold 🥇⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/12/28/mountain-tapir-tapirus-pinchaque/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterThe Wooly #Tapir AKA Mountain Tapir gives birth to one calf at a time 🩷😻 They’re #endangered due to a many threats: #climatechange and #pollution from #gold mining. Resist for them! #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottGold 🥇☠️❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/12/28/mountain-tapir-tapirus-pinchaque/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
Also known as the woolly tapir for their thick, dark, shaggy coat, Mountain Tapirs are built to survive in the cold, damp cloud forests and páramo grasslands. Their dense fur, white lips, and prehensile snout give them an almost prehistoric appearance. These solitary and elusive mammals are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, navigating dense foliage with ease. Once thought to be loners, long-term studies in Ecuador have revealed that they form small, close-knit family groups, with calves gradually dispersing over several years (Castellanos et al., 2022).
Threats
Deforestation for palm oil, meat agriculture and illicit opium/coca cultivation
Large swathes of Andean cloud forest and páramo are being cleared to make way for palm oil agricultural expansion, cattle grazing, and opium or coca cultivation. These activities are not only destroying core habitat but also breaking up previously connected populations, leaving tapirs isolated and vulnerable to local extinctions. The introduction of cattle into remote tapir refuges has become increasingly common, even inside designated national parks such as Sangay in Ecuador. This leads to trampling of sensitive vegetation, direct competition for food, and destruction of the unique montane ecosystems that Mountain Tapirs rely on for survival.
Illegal hunting for meat, traditional medicine, and cultural uses
Although hunting pressure has declined slightly in Ecuador due to greater public awareness, it remains severe in Colombia and Peru. Tapirs are killed for their meat, and their skins are used to make traditional tools, horse gear, carpets, and bed covers. Additionally, body parts are sold in local markets or prescribed by shamans for use in traditional medicine. In many remote areas, Mountain Tapirs are still being actively poached, and it is now rare to find populations that are not affected by some form of overhunting.
Gold mining and illegal mining causing deforestation and poisoning of ecosystems
Gold mining projects in the northern Peruvian Andes and central Colombia are rapidly destroying the last cloud forest headwaters and páramo ecosystems where tapirs persist. Both legal and illegal mining operations contaminate streams and watersheds with heavy metals and toxic runoff, which has severe consequences for both tapirs and the human communities downstream. Mining also brings roads, noise, and human settlements into previously inaccessible areas, increasing hunting pressure and reducing available habitat. In some parts of Peru, nearly 30% of the Mountain Tapir’s current range now overlaps with active or planned gold mining concessions (More et al., 2022).
Climate change pushing tapirs further uphill into shrinking habitat
As global temperatures rise, the high-elevation ecosystems where Mountain Tapirs live are shrinking. Suitable climate zones are shifting higher up the mountains, but because mountains have limited space at the top, this forces tapirs into ever smaller areas with fewer food resources. This phenomenon, known as “the escalator to extinction,” is especially dangerous for highland species like the Mountain Tapir, who cannot move downward into warmer zones. Climate change also alters rainfall patterns and vegetation cycles, further straining the species’ delicate habitat requirements.
Road construction and vehicle collisions within protected areas
Infrastructure development is rapidly cutting through mountainous areas, including roads that bisect national parks and reserves. This not only fragments tapir habitat but also leads to direct deaths through vehicle collisions. Once roads are completed, traffic speeds increase and tapirs crossing roads—especially at dawn and dusk—become highly vulnerable. Roads also make previously remote areas more accessible to poachers, settlers, and resource extractors, while local governments often lack sufficient ranger staff to monitor and protect these newly exposed areas.
Fumigation campaigns using toxic chemicals to eradicate drug crops
In Colombia, the government authorises aerial fumigation of coca and poppy fields using glyphosate-based herbicides like Round-Up. These chemicals are sprayed over wide areas, including forests and National Parks, contaminating soil, plants, and water sources. Mountain Tapirs can absorb these toxins through skin contact or ingestion, potentially leading to illness, reproductive failure, or death. Fumigation also destroys native plants that tapirs rely on for food, further decreasing habitat quality in affected areas.
Widespread introduction of cattle and the threat of disease transmission
Domestic cattle are increasingly being introduced into mountain tapir habitat, especially within protected areas where enforcement is weak. These animals not only compete with tapirs for forage but also carry diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and foot-and-mouth disease. Disease outbreaks have already been documented among tapirs in other parts of Latin America and pose a serious threat to small, isolated populations. In the Andes, cattle often form feral herds that reproduce and spread deep into cloud forests, further eroding habitat integrity and increasing the risk of tapir extinction.
Weak enforcement of environmental laws and lack of large protected areas in Peru
Although some Mountain Tapir habitat falls within designated protected areas, law enforcement in Peru is generally under-resourced and poorly coordinated. Rangers are too few to patrol vast mountainous regions effectively, and illegal activities such as mining, logging, and hunting continue within protected boundaries. Furthermore, most reserves are too small or fragmented to support viable tapir populations over the long term. Without stronger policies, larger protected zones, and meaningful binational cooperation with Ecuador and Colombia, tapirs in Peru face an uncertain future.
Low reproductive rate and slow population recovery
Mountain Tapirs have a long gestation period of around 13 months and typically produce only one calf at a time, meaning population growth is inherently slow. When combined with high mortality from hunting, roadkill, and disease, their populations cannot recover quickly from losses. Calves stay with their mothers for extended periods, further limiting reproductive output. This slow life cycle makes the species particularly vulnerable to sudden or sustained threats across their fragmented range.
Geographic Range
This species is found in the high Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and northernmost Peru. In Colombia, they are present in the Central and Eastern Cordilleras but are absent from the Western Cordillera and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. In Ecuador, they range from the central Andes down through Sangay National Park to Podocarpus, with new records emerging from previously unconnected areas in the western Andes. In Peru, they occur north and south of the Huancabamba River in Cajamarca and Lambayeque (More et al., 2022). The total range in Peru is estimated at 183,000 hectares, but mining concessions cover nearly 30% of this habitat.
Diet
Mountain Tapirs are browsers, feeding on a wide variety of vegetation including leaves, shoots, fruits, and bromeliads. Their diet varies depending on the availability of plants within their high-altitude habitats, playing an important role as seed dispersers within these fragile ecosystems.
Mating and Reproduction
Mountain Tapirs have a slow reproductive rate, with a gestation period of approximately 13 months. Females typically give birth to a single calf, which stays with them for several months or even years before dispersing. Calves are born with white stripes and spots that fade as they mature. Their slow breeding cycle makes it difficult for populations to recover from hunting and habitat loss.
FAQs
How many Mountain Tapirs are left in the wild?
Fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remain in the wild, and the population is continuing to decline by at least 20% every two decades due to ongoing threats like habitat destruction, hunting, and climate change (IUCN, 2015).
What is the average lifespan of a Mountain Tapir?
In the wild, Mountain Tapirs may live up to 25 years, though this is significantly affected by environmental threats. Captive individuals can live slightly longer under safe and controlled conditions.
What are the biggest challenges to conserving Mountain Tapirs?
Major challenges include habitat fragmentation due to road construction, agriculture, and mining; the presence of armed conflict zones that hinder research and protection; and the slow reproduction rate of the species, which makes population recovery difficult (Guzmán-Valencia et al., 2024; More et al., 2022).
Do Mountain Tapirs make good pets?
No. Keeping a Mountain Tapir as a pet is unethical and illegal. These intelligent, solitary animals require large, wild habitats to survive. Capturing and trading them causes immense suffering and drives the species further toward extinction. Advocating against the exotic pet trade is vital to their survival.
Take Action!
Boycott palm oil and products linked to Andean deforestation. Support indigenous-led conservation and agroecology initiatives in the Andes. Call for stronger protections against mining and deforestation in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Refuse to buy exotic animal products, including those used in folk medicine. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support Mountain Tapirs by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Castellanos, A., Dadone, L., Ascanta, M., & Pukazhenthi, B. (2022). Andean tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) social groups and calf dispersal patterns in Ecuador. Boletín Técnico, Serie Zoológica, 17, 9–14. Retrieved from https://journal.espe.edu.ec/ojs/index.php/revista-serie-zoologica/article/view/2858
Delborgo Abra, F., Medici, P., Brenes-Mora, E., & Castelhanos, A. (2024). The Impact of Roads and Traffic on Tapir Species. In Tapirs of the World (pp. 157–165). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-65311-7_10
Guzmán-Valencia, C., Castrillón, L., Roncancio Duque, N., & Márquez, R. (2024). Co-Occurrence, Occupancy and Habitat Use of the Andean Bear and Mountain Tapir: Insights for Conservation Management in the Colombian Andes. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5061561
Lizcano, D.J., Amanzo, J., Castellanos, A., Tapia, A. & Lopez-Malaga, C.M. 2016. Tapirus pinchaque. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T21473A45173922. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T21473A45173922.en. Accessed on 06 April 2025.
More, A., Devenish, C., Carrillo-Tavara, K., Piana, R. P., Lopez-Malaga, C., Vega-Guarderas, Z., & Nuñez-Cortez, E. (2022). Distribution and conservation status of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in Peru. Journal for Nature Conservation, 66, 126130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126130
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
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Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
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Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGFrill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii
Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum
Ecuadorean Viscacha Lagidium ahuacaense
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more#animals #Bantrophyhunting #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottGold #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #cattle #climateChange #climatechange #Colombia #deforestation #Ecuador #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #ForgottenAnimals #gold #herbivore #herbivores #hunting #infrastructure #lowlandTapir #Mammal #mammals #mining #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #Peru #poaching #pollution #Tapir #Tapirs #ungulate #ungulates #vegan
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Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis
IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered (CR)
Location: Vietnam and Laos
The Saola is an extremely rare #antelope species is restricted to the Annamite Mountains along the border of Laos and Vietnam. In Vietnam, they occur in Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua-Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces. In Laos, they have been recorded in Xieng Khouang, Bolikhamxay, Khammouan, Savannakhet and Xekong provinces, generally within remote wet evergreen forests.
The elusive #Saola is one of the rarest and most mysterious animals on Earth. Described as Southeast Asia’s ‘unicorn’, this Critically Endangered #antelope is facing imminent #extinction due to indiscriminate snaring, illegal hunting, and #deforestation. No Saolas survive in captivity, and their numbers in the wild are estimated at fewer than 100. They are collateral victims of the region’s rampant #bushmeat and illegal wildlife trade, with their decline accelerated by roads, logging and expanding human access. Use your wallet as a weapon. To help the world’s rarest antelope and make sure you avoid all wildlife products, be #Vegan and choose #palmoilfree items. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Known as the ‘Asian #Unicorn’ the #Saola is like a wild #cow or #antelope 🐮🩷 They face unparalleled threats including #deforestation. Only around 100 now remain alive 😭 Be #Vegan for them 🥦 #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸☠️🔥🧐⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-beE
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterShy, elusive and gentle #Saolas 🐮🐄 have beautiful facial markings. Known as Asian #Unicorns they’re the rarest hoofed #mammal alive. Just a handful remain. Fight for them when you shop, be #vegan and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-beE
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
The Saola is a curious looking #ungulate often described as being antelope-like in appearance, yet they are more closely related to wild cattle. They have a sleek, chocolate-brown coat, with striking white markings on the face and long, gently curved horns that can grow up to 50 centimetres for both sexes. These parallel horns have earned them the nickname the ‘Asian Unicorn.’
Highly secretive and shy, Saolas are rarely seen even by local indigenous people, and much of what we know comes from a handful of camera-trap images and village interviews. Saolas are solitary ungulates or found in small groups and may use scent glands to mark their territories. Saolas appear to favour lower altitudes during the dry season and may migrate with seasonal changes in water and vegetation.
Threats
Widespread snaring and indiscriminate hunting
The primary threat to Saola survival is indiscriminate snaring across their forest habitat. These wire snares are set to catch a variety of animals like wild pigs, civets and muntjacs, but Saolas are frequently caught as bycatch. Because Saolas are not specifically targeted, their deaths often go unnoticed or unreported. The sheer density of snares—sometimes thousands per square kilometre—means that even extremely rare species like the Saola are at constant risk of entrapment.
Bushmeat and traditional medicine trade
Despite not being valued specifically for their meat or body parts, Saolas are still victims of Southeast Asia’s booming wildlife trade. They are often killed and consumed locally or caught up in snares set for animals more widely traded or consumed for bushmeat and medicinal purposes. The expansion of disposable income and demand for wild meat and medicinal wildlife products in Vietnam and China is driving this crisis. Villagers report a sharp drop in sightings, indicating Saolas are being wiped out as collateral damage in this unregulated trade.
Road construction and increased human access
The rapid expansion of roads such as the Ho Chi Minh Road and the East-West Economic Corridor has fragmented Saola habitat and created unprecedented access for poachers. These roads allow motorbikes and trucks to transport wildlife quickly to urban markets, making illegal hunting more efficient. The increased accessibility also brings in thousands of forest product collectors who opportunistically snare wildlife. Road development directly and indirectly fuels the extinction of Saolas by opening up remote refuges once safe from exploitation.
Deforestation for monocultures like palm oil
Although hunting is the most immediate threat, habitat loss is an intensifying danger due to shifting agriculture, logging, mining and hydropower development. The Annamite forests are being carved up into ever smaller fragments, making it harder for Saola populations to remain connected. Forest blocks under 100 km² are likely uninhabitable for Saolas, who depend on large tracts of wet evergreen forest with low human disturbance. As development pressures mount, remaining habitat is also degraded by noise, pollution and human presence.
Ineffective protected area management
While Saolas occur in several designated protected areas, most of these offer little real protection from hunting. Enforcement is weak or absent, and many parks are under pressure from the same road construction and development projects that threaten unprotected forests. In some cases, protected areas themselves have become conduits for illegal activities like poaching and logging. Without strong enforcement and dedicated anti-snare patrols, protected status does little to ensure Saola survival.
Population isolation and low genetic diversity
Saola populations are now so small and fragmented that individuals may be isolated from one another for breeding. The species’ naturally low densities and secretive behaviour are further compounded by habitat fragmentation and snaring. This isolation increases the risk of inbreeding and local extinctions. If individuals can no longer find mates or suitable territory, the population could collapse without ever being noticed.
Climate and ecological constraints
Saolas are highly specialised to wet evergreen forests, which are rare and shrinking. Their apparent absence from degraded or secondary forests suggests they may be intolerant of even moderate ecological change. Unlike more adaptable species such as pigs or muntjacs, Saolas do not seem able to survive in altered landscapes. As climate patterns shift and dry seasons become more severe, even their last refuges may become inhospitable.
Rising wealth fuelling wildlife demand
Contrary to assumptions that poverty drives biodiversity loss, it is rising wealth and urban demand that most endanger Saolas. Affluent consumers in Vietnam and China are fuelling the demand for exotic meats and traditional medicine, spurring illegal hunting. The status-driven consumption of wildlife products—rather than subsistence need—is a primary force behind the escalating poaching crisis. Until demand is curbed at the source, rare species like the Saola will continue to vanish.
Geographic Range
The Saola is found exclusively in the Annamite Mountains along the border of Laos and Vietnam. In Vietnam, they are recorded from Nghe An to Quang Nam provinces. In Laos, they occur in Xieng Khouang, Bolikhamxay, Khammouan, Savannakhet and Xekong provinces.
Their historical range has shrunk drastically, and they are now believed to be confined to fewer than 10 forest blocks, with an estimated area of occupancy likely under 1,000 km². They are absent from small forest fragments and likely restricted to remote, difficult-to-access areas with lower hunting pressure.
Diet
The Saola is a #herbivore and a browser, feeding mainly on tender leaves, shoots, and possibly fruit. Their diet likely consists of foliage from forest understorey plants, but detailed studies are lacking due to the species’ extreme rarity and secretive nature.
Mating and Reproduction
Very little is known about Saola reproduction. Local reports suggest they give birth to a single calf, and births may occur in the summer. Their generation time is thought to be longer than that of sympatric species like muntjacs or pigs, with lower reproductive output. No captive births have ever occurred.
FAQs
How many Saolas are left in the wild?
Estimates suggest there are fewer than 100 individuals remaining in the wild, with a likely number of under 250 mature individuals (IUCN SSC, 2020). No confirmed sightings have occurred since 2013, and the vast majority of reports come from indirect sources such as camera traps or local accounts.
Do Saolas make good pets?
Absolutely not. Saolas are wild, elusive, and cannot survive in captivity. Every individual removed from the wild brings them closer to extinction. Keeping or capturing Saolas is illegal and a direct threat to their survival.
Why are Saolas so rare?
Saolas are not specifically targeted, but they are frequent victims of indiscriminate snaring, which is widespread in their range. The pressure from hunting is compounded by habitat fragmentation, road construction, and increased human encroachment, leaving them with few undisturbed refuges.
What is being done to protect Saolas?
Efforts include the Saola Working Group’s use of camera traps, dung analysis and local knowledge to pinpoint remaining populations. Conservationists are advocating for snare-removal programmes and more effective protected area management, but without a captive breeding programme or large-scale investment, Saolas remain perilously close to extinction (Wilkinson & Duc, 2016).
What type of forest do Saolas live in?
They are found in wet evergreen forests with minimal dry season, primarily on the Vietnamese slopes of the Annamite Mountains. These habitats are cooler, cloud-covered and have high year-round rainfall, creating a niche Saolas are uniquely adapted to. Unfortunately, such habitats are increasingly fragmented and degraded.
Take Action!
Saolas are being driven to extinction by snares and the relentless pursuit of wild meat and medicine. Every product you buy that contributes to forest loss—like those made with palm oil—accelerates their disappearance. Support local communities leading conservation efforts in Vietnam and Laos. Reject all exotic animal products. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Protect Saolas by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Wilkinson, N. M., & Van Duc, L. (2016). Rank aggregation of local expert knowledge for conservation planning of the critically endangered saola. Conservation Biology, 30(6), 1098–1107. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12853
IUCN SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group. (2020). Pseudoryx nghetinhensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T18597A22195870. Retrieved from https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18597/22195870
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Saola. Retrieved 6 April 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saola
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,178 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Keep reading Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more #animals #antelope #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #bushmeat #climateChange #cow #CriticallyEndangeredSpecies #deer #deforestation #extinction #ForgottenAnimals #herbivore #hunting #illegalPetTrade #infrastructure #Laos #Mammal #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoilfree #poaching #Saola #SaolaPseudoryxNghetinhensis #Saolas #ungulate #ungulates #Unicorn #Unicorns #vegan #Vietnam -
[USGS] Corridor Mapping Team - Ungulate Migrations of the West
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https://www.usgs.gov/programs/cooperative-research-units/science/corridor-mapping-team-ungulate-migrations-west <-- shared technical article
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https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20245006 <-- shared USGS 2024 publication ‘Ungulate Migrations of the Western United States, Volume 4’
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https://doi.org/10.5066/P9SS9GD9 <-- shared USGS ungulate migration data release
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https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13806 <-- shared paper ‘Barrier Behaviour Analysis (Baba) [‘fences’] Reveals Extensive Effects Of Fencing On Wide-Ranging Ungulates’
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#GIS #spatial #mapping #USWest #USA #ungulate #migration #route #deer #elk #moose #antelope #bison #buffalo #infrastructure #manmade #obstacles #ecosystems #wildlife #publicland #privateland #CorridorMappingTeam #opendata #fedopendata #fedscience #naturalresources #Wyoming #FirstNation #tracking #GPS #seasonal #habitat #protection #fences #barriers #herds #herbivore #management #healthy #herdhealth #vegetation #prey #carnivore #economy #benefits #income #food #spatiotemporal #spatialanalysis #snow #weather
@USGS @USFWS -
The only kinda young #buck that I'm OK being around has 4 legs & grows up to be a stabby-horned #stag.
#deer #wildlife #ungulate #BlacktailDeer #Wsanec #Saanich #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #PNW #BCNativeAnimals
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Small Populations, Large Conservation Challenges:
Turgeon et al. evaluate the relative influence of density-dependence, environmental conditions, and sporadic events on annual ungulate population growth. Summary & Analysis by Madeline Eppley!
https://www.amnat.org/an/newpapers/2024-Dec-Turgeon.html#population #conservation #densityDependence #environment #ungulate #populationGrowth
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Saw this sweet #blacktail #buck in front of a house on the way home from VGH earlier. Beautiful velvety antlers.
#VictoriaBC #Wsanec #Saanich #WildlifeWednesday #deer #ungulate #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #Cascadia #PNW #Wildlife #DeerPortrait #monochrome #photography #nature #BWphoto #BWportrait
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Sambar deer Rusa unicolor
Sambar deer Rusa unicolor
IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
Extant (resident): Bangladesh; Bhutan; Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia; China; India; Indonesia (Sumatera); Laos; Malaysia; Myanmar; Nepal; Sri Lanka; Taiwan; Thailand; Vietnam.
The majestic Sambar deer, cloaked in hues ranging from light brown to dark gray, are distinguished by their rugged antlers and uniquely long tails. Adorned with a coat of coarse hair and marked by a distinctive, blood-red glandular spot on their throats, these deer embody the beauty of the wild. Their adaptability is evident in their alert behavior, silent movements, and the gradual development of their unique spots. Perfectly designed for grazing, these deer use their antlers and feet deftly in defense, relying on their acute senses of hearing and smell to evade predators. To protect these splendid deer and their habitats from the impacts of deforestation and agricultural expansion, especially for palm oil, join the movement: #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife to aid in their survival.
Sambar deer are #vulnerable from habitat destruction for #timber and #palmoil and relentless hunting. Help them survive, be #vegan for them and #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife to safeguard these magnificent beings. Learn more via @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-75t
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterSave the magnificent Sambar #deer, threatened in multiple countries like #India #Malaysia #Indonesia by #palmoil #deforestation and hunting. Fight for them by being #vegan and use your wallet as a weapon #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-75t
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
The enigmatic Sambar deer captivates with their varied coat, ranging from light brown to almost black, highlighted by a grayish or yellowish tinge and complemented by paler underparts.
Males boast robust, three-tined antlers, advertising their strength and virility to their female counterparts. Their long tails, a blend of black and white, along with their striking dark brown legs and long, brownish-gray ears, add to their distinct appearance.
Both adult males and some females sport an unusual, hairless, blood-red spot on their throats, a mysterious glandular feature.
These crepuscular beings prefer the solitude of night or twilight and remain largely alone or with small, close-knit herds. Males, particularly nomadic and territorial during breeding seasons, engage in unique behaviors like wallowing in urine-soaked soil and marking trees with their antlers. Females show maternal fierceness and will bravely defend their young, fearlessly confronting predators, especially in shallow waters, forming protective formations, and emitting a resonant ‘pooking’ sound as a warning.
In some cases Sambar deer come together to form large temporary groups, especially in India’s dry deciduous and semi-arid forests. These groupings, sometimes reaching up to 100 individuals near water bodies during peak summer, indicate a complex social structure influenced by environmental conditions.
Threats
- Impact of Agricultural Expansion for Timber and Palm Oil: Agricultural expansion, particularly for timber and palm oil plantations, significantly contributes to the loss of the Sambar deer’s natural habitat. This expansion not only destroys their forest environment but also facilitates easier access for hunters, further escalating the threats to their survival.
- Habitat Encroachment and Hunting: The Sambar deer faces severe threats from habitat encroachment and hunting across their range, especially in the Sundaic region. Logging activities often lead to increased hunting, causing local extinctions. In many areas, such as Sarawak, hunting following logging is the primary threat to ungulates.
- Hunting for Meat and Trade: Sambar deer are a popular source of wild meat and are heavily hunted for this purpose. In Southeast Asia, hunting is largely commercially driven, catering to affluent urban classes and workers in industries like logging. The trade in Sambar meat is extensive, with adult males additionally targeted for their antlers, used as trophies and in traditional medicine.
- Variation in Hunting Patterns and Impact: Hunting methods and intensity vary across the Sambar’s range, with some areas experiencing intense, market-driven hunting. In places like India, even well-protected areas see poaching. The Sambar’s tolerance of habitat degradation ironically makes them more accessible to hunters, exacerbating their decline.
Sambar deer are imperiled by rampant habitat destruction, primarily due to deforestation for timber and palm oil. They are further threatened by relentless hunting. To make a tangible difference in their survival, stand with us in this vital cause, be #vegan for them and #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife to safeguard these magnificent beings.
Habitat
Sambar deer are renowned for their remarkable adaptability to diverse forest types and environmental conditions, showcasing an impressive geographical range. They are found in various habitats within India, from thorn forests in Gujarat and Rajasthan to the lush evergreen forests of the Western Ghats and northeastern India, and even in the pine and oak forests at the Himalayan foothills. Their adaptability extends beyond India, inhabiting temperate and alpine-zone woodlands in Taiwan, thriving in a wide array of environmental conditions.
Diet
Sambar deer possess a broad diet, consuming a wide variety of plant species, which enables them to thrive in diverse habitats. Depending on the availability of forage, they alternate between grazing and browsing. Their diet varies across different altitudes and regions, reflecting the changes in local plant communities. This dietary flexibility allows them to inhabit regions with varying vegetation, from moist deciduous forests, where they are found in higher densities, to semi-arid forests.
Mating and breeding
Breeding by Sambar deer tends to be seasonal, with a peak in the rutting period observed in various regions. Males, especially during the rut, can travel significant distances, marking territories with scent glands. Fawns are typically born singly, with the birth season peaking in the warmer months. Predation, primarily by tigers, leopards, and dholes, significantly influences their populations, especially in well-protected forest reserves where they are a key prey species.
Sub-species of the Sambar Deer
The Sambar deer has several distinct subspecies, each exhibiting unique characteristics and adaptations to their respective habitats.
- The Sri Lankan Sambar Rusa unicolor unicolor: Found primarily in India and Sri Lanka, this subspecies is noted for being the largest in the genus, boasting the most substantial antlers in terms of both size and body proportions.
- The South China Sambar Rusa unicolor dejeani: Inhabiting Southern China and mainland Southeast Asia, this subspecies ranks second in size, possessing slightly smaller antlers compared to the Indian sambar.
- The Sumatran Sambar Rusa unicolor equina: Native to the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, these deer are characterized by having smaller antlers in relation to their body size.
- The Bornean Sambar Rusa unicolor brookei: Similar to the Sumatran sambar, the Bornean variant also exhibits smaller antlers when compared to their body size.
- The Formosan Sambar Rusa unicolor swinhoii: This subspecies is identified as the smallest, with antler-body proportions akin to the South China sambar.
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Further Information
Timmins, R., Kawanishi, K., Giman, B, Lynam, A., Chan, B., Steinmetz, R., Sagar Baral, H. & Samba Kumar, N. 2015. Rusa unicolor (errata version published in 2015). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T41790A85628124. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T41790A22156247.en. Accessed on 29 December 2023.
Sambar Deer on Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambar_deer
Sambar on the Animalia.bio website https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambar_deer
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Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Keep reading Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more #animals #Bangladesh #Bhutan #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #Cambodia #CentralAsia #China #deer #deforestation #ForgottenAnimals #hunting #India #Indonesia #Malaysia #Mammal #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #poaching #SambarDeerRusaUnicolor #SouthEastAsia #Thailand #timber #ungulate #vegan #Vietnam #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies -
Barasingha Cervus duvauceli
Barasingha (Swamp Deer) Cervus duvauceli
Red List Status: Vulnerable
Extant (resident): India; Nepal
Extinct: Bangladesh; Pakistan
Presence Uncertain: Bhutan
Barasinghas Cervus duvauceli also known as Swamp Deers, are instantly recognisable for their enormous handsome antlers. They can have as many as 12 antlers and their namesake Barasinghas means ’12 antlered deer’ in Hindi. They are now one of the most endangered deer species in the world due to habitat fragmentation for palm oil and beef, along with human persecution and hunting. The only remaining population live in protected sanctuaries in India and Nepal. The herd will be led by a single female and then followed by other females in a procession and then the males follow along at the rear of the group. Despite this, females are not dominant over the herd. These resilient, tough and majestic deer species are classified vulnerable on IUCN Red List. If you want to help them, adopt a #Vegan lifestyle and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket!
Handsome #Barasinghas of #India 🇮🇳 #Nepal 🇳🇵 have huge antlers 🦌😻 They are one of the most endangered #deer species in the 🌎 due to #hunting and #palmoil #deforestation. Help save them! 🌴🪔🩸🚜🔥🧐🚫 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/06/25/barasingha-cervus-duvauceli/
Share to BlueSky Share to Twitter#Barasingha mean “12 Antlered #Deer” in #Hindi 🦌🤎 Major threats include #meat and #palmoil #ecocide in #India 🇮🇳 and #Nepal 🇳🇵 along with #poaching 🏹 Take action for them and be #vegan 🥦🍅 #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸🙊⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/06/25/barasingha-cervus-duvauceli/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
Barasinghas are a highly social and strongly matriarchal deer species. They typically gather in herds of 10-2o individual deers.
Herds are mostly made up of deer of similar age. Although herds may sometimes be mixed in age and gender. The herd will be led by a single female and then followed by other females in a procession and then the males follow along at the rear of the group. Despite this, females are not dominant over other members of the herd. Males are known to move between herds, whereas females are more loyal to their own herd. Like many other deer species, males are generally referred to as ‘bucks’ and dominant males a ‘stags’.
They are naturally diurnal and active throughout the day. They will typically rest during the heat of midday and spend the dawn and dusk grazing.
Young male Barasinghas with fuzzy antlers by SlowmotionGli for Getty ImagesJuvenile males will sport smaller antlers that are an extension to their bones and have blood vessels inside of them. This coating of blood vessels or ‘felt’ is lost over time, as the young deers will rub the antlers against trees to toughen the antlers up.
Threats
There are three sub-species of Barasinghas and in total IUCN Red List estimates that there are only 3,500 to 5,100 left alive. They are classified as Vulnerable. Only a small number of Barasinghas live in protected zones, including:
- 350-500 animals in Kaziranga National Park
- 300-350 animals in Kanha National Park
Barasinghas face multiple human-related threats:
- Palm oil deforestation: A significant part of their range is being destroyed for palm oil. They rely on mangroves and swamps and these are drained and destroyed to make way for palm oil.
- Hunting: Hunters often deliberately seek out these deer for their extraordinary antlers.
- Livestock deforestation: Livestock grazing and other agricultural expansion.
- Competition with other animals for food in a shrinking range.
- Diseases: passed on from domestic cattle to the deer.
Habitat
The Barasingha is faces multiple anthropogenic threats which has heavily fragmented their range in north and central India and south west Nepal. They prefer riparian and riverine habitats close to floodplains, wetlands, mangroves and swamps as well as riversides. They are also fund in woodlands and deciduous forests.
Diet
Barasinghas are herbivorous mammals and they provide a vital ecosystem service by ensuring that plants are kept under control with their grazing habits. They generally stick with a diet of foliage, leaves and grass. Some Barasinghas living in wetlands will supplement this diet with algae and aquatic vegetation.
A Barasingha eating algae by CGToolbox for Getty ImagesMating and breeding
Dominant males in herds will mate with a group of females known as a harem. Males in herds will engage in bloody and violent conflicts with each other for mating rights during the rutting season. Male ‘bucks’ call for female ‘does’ using a series of bugling and barking sounds to indicate their readiness to mate. Mating season is between October and February.
Females give birth typically to only one fawn after around eight months of pregnancy. Occasionally twins occur. The fawn is weaned by six to eight months, and after two years, young females reach sexual maturity.
Support Barasinghas by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Duckworth, J.W., Kumar, N.S., Pokharel, C.P., Sagar Baral, H. & Timmins, R. 2015. Rucervus duvaucelii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T4257A22167675. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T4257A22167675.en. Accessed on 12 November 2022.
Barasingha Cervus duvauceli on Wikipedia
Barasingha Cervus duvauceli – India – Asia – #Boycott4WildlifeHow can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
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Pledge your support #animals #Bangladesh #Barasingha #BarasinghaCervusDuvauceli #Barasinghas #beef #Bhutan #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deer #deforestation #ecocide #ForgottenAnimals #Hindi #humanWildlifeConflict #hunting #India #Mammal #meat #Nepal #Pakistan #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #poaching #ungulate #vegan #VulnerableSpecies -
Malayan Tapir Tapirus indicus
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Locations: Thailand, Myanmar, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra (Indonesia)
Found in tropical lowland and montane forests of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, with isolated populations in western Thailand and the Thai-Myanmar border region.
The Malay Tapir is listed as Endangered due to a severe and ongoing population decline of over 50% in the past 36 years. This is driven primarily by deforestation from palm oil expansion, fragmentation of habitat, road kills, and accidental deaths in illegal snares. Their forest homes are being rapidly replaced by palm oil monoculture plantations, especially in Sumatra and Malaysia, leaving fewer than 2,500 mature individuals in the wild. Despite being important seed dispersers in their ecosystem they face a dire future, particularly in Sumatra where remaining tapir populations are critically low and fragmented. Use your wallet as a weapon—#BoycottPalmOil and demand forest protection to stop the extinction of these elusive and important forest dwellers. #Boycott4Wildlife
Gentle Malayan #Tapirs are gorgeous creatures living in #Sumatra #Myanmar #Thailand #Indonesia they are endangered by #palmoil #deforestation. Say no to their #extinction when you shop #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🪔🤮💀🔥🙈🧐🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/05/malay-tapir-tapirus-indicus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterBaby Malayan #Tapirs have spotty coats to blend into the forests of #Malaysia 🇲🇾 #Indonesia 🇮🇩 They face big threats from #PalmOil #Ecocide and the illegal wildlife trade. Fight for them #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🪔🤮💀🔥🙈🧐🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/05/malay-tapir-tapirus-indicus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterPopulation declines are estimated to have been greater than 50% in the past three generations (36 years) driven primarily by large scale conversion of tapir habitat to palm oil plantations and other human dominated land-use. The main reason for declines in the past is habitat conversion, with large tracts land being converted into palm oil plantations. However, increasingly as other large ‘prey” species decline in the area hunters are beginning to look towards tapir as a food source.
iucn RED lIST
Appearance and Behaviour
The Malay Tapir, also known as the Asian Tapir, is instantly recognisable due to their striking black-and-white colouring—black at the front and back with a pale saddle across the midsection, a form of disruptive camouflage in low-light forest. They are the largest of the tapir species and the only one found in Asia. Solitary and nocturnal, Malay Tapirs are shy browsers that patrol large territories, communicating through high-pitched whistles and squeals. Recent studies have revealed they have individually distinct vocalisations, likely used for identification and social interactions in dense forest (Walb et al., 2021).
Diet
Malay Tapirs are generalist herbivores, browsing on more than 380 species of plants. They prefer young shoots, leaves, fruits, and twigs, often breaking branches to access foliage. Though not considered strong seed dispersers due to seed chewing, their selective feeding plays an important ecological role in maintaining forest structure.
Reproduction and Mating
Breeding is non-seasonal, with females giving birth to a single calf after an 11–13 month gestation. Calves are born with brown and white striped coats, providing excellent camouflage. They stay with their mother for up to two years. In captivity, a rare case of twin births has been documented, suggesting the potential for delayed implantation.
Geographic Range
Malay Tapirs are distributed in three main regions:
- Sumatra, Indonesia: Southern and central regions, with highly fragmented and declining populations.
- Peninsular Malaysia and Southern Thailand: This region supports the largest and most stable population, though southern forest fragments are facing increasing isolation.
- Thailand–Myanmar border: Populations here are small and fragmented, primarily surviving in transboundary protected areas such as the Western Forest Complex and Taninthayi Range. The species is presumed extinct in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
Threats
Palm oil deforestation
The conversion of lowland tropical rainforest into palm oil plantations remains the single largest threat to Malay Tapirs. Their preferred habitat—dense, moist forests—is being cleared at an alarming rate, particularly in Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia. This habitat destruction not only reduces the available range but also isolates populations into small, disconnected forest fragments. These plantations also increase human-wildlife conflict and create ecological dead zones that offer no viable resources for tapirs to survive.
Habitat fragmentation and road kills
As forests are dissected by roads and settlements, Malay Tapirs are forced to cross dangerous terrain in search of food or mates. This leads to a growing number of road-related mortalities. In Malaysia alone, more than 50 displaced tapirs were recorded from 2011–2013, with a third of them killed by vehicles. These roads also hinder genetic flow between populations, worsening inbreeding risks and reducing overall population viability.
Illegal snaring and accidental trapping
Tapirs are often the unintended victims of wire snares set for other species. These traps are indiscriminate and deadly, frequently causing injuries or deaths. In Sumatra, tapirs have been killed or maimed by these snares, often set by local hunters targeting wild boar or deer. Although not the primary target, tapirs are especially vulnerable due to their large size and solitary movements through the forest.
Increased hunting pressure
While Malay Tapirs are traditionally not hunted in most of their range due to cultural taboos or lack of desirability as bushmeat, this is beginning to change. As populations of more desirable prey like deer decline, hunters are starting to target tapirs out of desperation. In some areas, such as Sumatra, tapir meat has been sold in local markets. There are also concerns that declining rhino populations may prompt poachers to kill tapirs and sell their body parts as ‘placebo rhino’.
Live capture and illegal wildlife trade
In Indonesia, the capture of tapirs for private collections and zoos was once common, with reports of dozens of animals passing through institutions like Pekanbaru Zoo since the 1990s. Although this trade has diminished in recent years, likely due to increased awareness and regulations, any resurgence in live capture—whether for display or illegal sale—would place enormous pressure on already fragile wild populations.
Inbreeding and isolation in small subpopulations
Many of the remaining tapir populations are isolated in small forest patches, especially in southern Peninsular Malaysia and parts of Thailand. Subpopulations often contain fewer than 15 individuals, far below the viable threshold for long-term survival. Without corridors or human-managed gene flow, these populations suffer from inbreeding, reduced fertility, and increased risk of extinction due to random events or disease.
Loss of salt lick access
Salt licks are vital for tapirs to supplement their mineral intake, especially in areas with a plant-based diet low in sodium. However, the loss of access to natural salt licks due to forest clearance, road construction, and plantation expansion has a direct impact on their health and social behaviours. In Malaysia’s Belum-Temengor Forest Complex, research shows tapirs rely heavily on these mineral sources, often revisiting them every few weeks. The loss of salt licks fragments their home ranges and reduces fitness.
Unprotected habitat in Myanmar
In Myanmar, where only around 5% of the land is protected, much of the tapir’s habitat lies outside conservation zones and is increasingly targeted for rubber and palm oil expansion. Civil unrest and land tenure disputes further complicate conservation efforts, limiting access for researchers and increasing the likelihood of habitat destruction. Even where tapirs are present, the lack of formal protection makes long-term survival uncertain.
FAQs
How many Malay Tapirs are left in the wild?
Current estimates suggest fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remain globally, with some subpopulations containing as few as 10–15 individuals (IUCN, 2017). Populations in Sumatra are estimated at fewer than 500 individuals and continue to decline due to deforestation and snaring.
What is the average lifespan of Malayan Tapirs?
In the wild, Malay Tapirs may live around 25–30 years. In captivity, they can exceed this range under veterinary care, though stress-related illnesses are common.
Are Malay Tapirs hunted?
Although not traditionally consumed in Malaysia or Thailand, tapirs are sometimes hunted for meat or mistaken for other animals. In some areas, displaced tapirs are also killed in retaliation after wandering into plantations or villages. Live trade for zoos and illegal private collections was once common, particularly in Indonesia, but this appears to have declined in recent years.
?Do Malay Tapirs make good pets?
Absolutely not. Keeping a Malay Tapir as a pet is incredibly cruel and illegal. These solitary forest dwellers are endangered and belong in their natural habitat – deep in the rainforest. Capturing or trading them for private ownership contributes directly to their extinction and causes immense suffering.
Why are salt licks important to Malayan Tapirs?
Recent studies have shown that Malay Tapirs frequently visit salt licks to supplement their diet with essential minerals. These areas may also serve social functions, where male and female tapirs overlap and interact (Tawa et al., 2021).
Take Action!
- Boycott all products containing palm oil every time you shop. Learn how.
- Support rewilding and indigenous-led conservation efforts in Southeast Asia.
- Campaign for forest protection policies across Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.
- Demand accountability from zoos and wildlife traffickers involved in the live trade of endangered animals.
- #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife Go #Vegan and #BoycottMeat
Further Information
Pinondang, I. M. R., Deere, N. J., Voigt, M., Ardiantiono, Subagyo, A., Moßbrucker, A., … Struebig, M. J. (2024). Safeguarding Asian tapir habitat in Sumatra, Indonesia. Oryx, 58(4), 451–461. doi:10.1017/S0030605323001576
Tawa, Y., Mohd Sah, S. A., & Kohshima, S. (2021). Salt-lick use by wild Malayan tapirs (Tapirus indicus): Behaviour and social interactions at salt licks. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 67, 91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-021-01536-9
Traeholt, C., Novarino, W., bin Saaban, S., Shwe, N.M., Lynam, A., Zainuddin, Z., Simpson, B. & bin Mohd, S. 2016. Tapirus indicus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T21472A45173636. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T21472A45173636.en. Downloaded on 04 February 2021.
Walb, R., von Fersen, L., Meijer, T., & Hammerschmidt, K. (2021). Individual Differences in the Vocal Communication of Malayan Tapirs (Tapirus indicus) Considering Familiarity and Relatedness. Animals, 11(4), 1026. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11041026
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
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Join 1,395 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #bushmeat #deforestation #ecocide #EndangeredSpecies #extinction #herbivore #herbivores #hunting #illegalPetTrade #Indonesia #Laos #MalayTapirTapirusIndicus #Malaysia #Mammal #Myanmar #palmoil #SeedDispersers #seeddispersal #Sumatra #Tapir #Tapirs #Thailand #ungulate #ungulates #vegan #Vietnam #wildlifetrade