Malayan Tapir

Standing at just over a metre, Malayan tapirs grow up to 540kg and 2.5m in length. Females tend to be 25-100kg heavier than males!

Malayan tapirs also sport a striking colour pattern: a black front half, white sides, and black hind legs.

Their forefeet have four toes, while their hind feet have three. However, as the fourth toes on their forefeet do not touch the ground, footprints simply show the imprints of three digits.

Newborn tapirs are covered in white stripes and spots, a camouflage that helps them blend into the sun-dappled forest floor.

This pattern keeps them safe from predators like tigers and leopards. By three weeks old, they are strong enough to swim and keep up with their mothers on foraging trips.

Despite their size and shape, Malayan tapirs are surprisingly agile, capable of running fast and climbing over obstacles.

They are also excellent swimmers, able to walk along riverbeds while holding their breath for up to 90 seconds.

Tapirs rest during the day and are active at night, making the most of their aquatic and land-based skills.

Listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, Malayan tapirs face habitat loss from deforestation for agriculture and human settlements. While direct hunting has declined, accidental shootings and trapping persist.

They are fully protected in Malaysia under the Wild Animals and Birds Ordinance and have been safeguarded in Indonesia since 1931.