Mountain tapir

Description

The mountain tapir or woolly tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) is the second-smallest of the five species of tapir,only the recently described Tapirus kabomani being smaller,and is the only one to live outside of tropical rainforests in the wild.It is most easily distinguished from other tapirs by its thick woolly coat and white lips.The species name comes from the term "La Pinchaque",an imaginary beast said to inhabit the same regions as the mountain tapir.Mountain tapirs are black or very dark brown,with occasional pale hairs flecked in amongst the darker fur.The fur becomes noticeably paler on the underside,around the anal region,and on the cheeks.A distinct white band runs around the lips,although it may vary in extent,and there are usually also white bands along the upper surface of the ears.In adults,the rump has paired patches of bare skin,which may help to indicate sexual maturity.The eyes are initially blue,but change to a pale brown as the animal ages.Unlike all other species of tapir,the fur is long and woolly,especially on the underside and flanks,reaching 3.5 cm (1.4 in) or more in some individuals.Adults are usually around 1.8 m (5.9 ft) in length and 0.75 to 1 m (2.5 to 3.3 ft) in height at the shoulder.They typically weigh between 136 and 250 kg (300 and 551 lb),and while the sexes are of similar size,females tend to be around 25 to 100 kilograms (55 to 220 lb) heavier than the males.Like the other types of tapir,they have small,stubby tails and long,flexible proboscises.They have four toes on each front foot and three toes on each back foot,each with large nails and supported by a padded sole.A patch of bare skin,pale pink or grey in colour,extends just above each toe.