World Tapir Day: Get Involved

April 27^th is likely not a day of interest for most people. You won't find it marked on many calendars as a holiday or significant time of the year. However, for a group of little known and rarely recognized animals, April 27^th holds a huge importance. It's World Tapir Day.

Before I go any further, let me explain what a tapir is. (I'm sure many of you will appreciate that!) Here's the quick rundown. Tapirs are large hoofed mammals, belonging to the same family as horses and rhinos. They are vegetarians and have a prehensile nose, similar to an elephant's trunk, which allows them to reach leaves otherwise inaccessible to them. There are four species- the Baird's tapir, the Brazilian (also known as the Lowland) tapir, the mountain tapir, and the Malayan tapir. The first three are found in Central and South American, with the Malayan tapir being the only one of the species found in Asia. Although large, tapirs are able to run surprisingly fast to escape the few natural predators they face. Unfortunately, their speed can't help them escape a much larger threat- their rapidly shrinking natural habitats.

World Tapir Day was established to help raise awareness and recognition of both tapirs in general and the danger they face of losing their homes. Deforestation is frequently cited as one of the most serious threats to the tapirs' future. As human growth and expansion naturally seeks new land, many of the places tapirs have lived for decades, if not centuries, are being destroyed. Tapirs are creatures of habit, and require large areas of dense growth to breed and survive. As this growth is cut back, they simply cease to exist. Right now, all four species are listed as endangered and a mainstream awareness of this problem is necessary before advances can be made. World Tapir Day is just one of several conservation projects geared toward the survival of tapirs in the wild. As part of the bigger picture, World Tapir Day and similar projects are also working toward the conservation of natural habitats and our environment worldwide. Since the survival of all life depends on the existence of another, conservation is an important goal for everyone.

The home page for World Tapir Day can be visited at tapirday.org. The site includes information about tapirs as well as resource material for teachers. Tapir related items can be bought through their e-store and all proceeds go to benefit tapir research and conservation.

Although this article was a quick summary of tapirs and the projects to aid their survival, I often call tapirs my favorite animal and mean it. I was delighted to learn about World Tapir Day! This year, join me in marking April 27^th on the calendar, visiting a few web sites, and taking the time to recognize a far under-appreciated creature!