World Tapir Day

Today is World Tapir Day 🌎, and an opportunity to talk about an animal which may have unappreciated significance on the politics of South and Central America, as well as Asia.

The tapir is a hoofed mammal, between 200 and 450 kilos depending on species, three residing mainly in South America, but with one species residing in East Asia. Tapirs have an opposable trunk, similar to an elephant’s but shorter, and spend most of their time foraging for food or relaxing near water. They’re excellent swimmers and use the water to escape predators, hide their scent, and even drown parasites adhering to their large bodies.

Tapirs are like birds in that their health and population size is indicative of the health of an environment, in this case the all important Amazon Rainforest. Tapirs are known as the “gardeners of the forest” because their diet spreads and fertilizes seeds.In areas where tapir populations have grown, forest coverage has as well. Tapir conservationists like Patrícia Medici 🇵🇹 have even sued Brazil's 🇧🇷 and other federal governments for failing to protect them from traffic strikes along Brazil’s highway systems in the Amazon. Tapirs are so important to the health of the jungle that Belize 🇧🇿 even designated them as their national animal.

As ardent followers of South American politics know, the jungle is home to all manner of rebels, brigands, paramilitaries and drug producing/trafficking organizations. In Nicaragua 🇳🇮 for example, the attempts by local rangers to curb tapir hunting brought them into direct and ongoing conflict with drug traffickers. Mining and logging concerns also plague South American politics, and with China 🇨🇳 aggressively moving into South America, there is concern the tapir’s natural habitat could be affected.

While the tapir is relatively unknown, its habitats coincide with some of the most resource rich, sought after land in the world, and tapir conservationists are savvy in advocating for their protection. The construction of corridors linking disparate tapir habitats, the changing of highway codes in Brazil 🇧🇷 or the designation of certain areas as protected all contribute in their own way to the politics of South and Central America. This shy, important mammal is one to keep an eye on.