FIGURE 1

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2

FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3

FIGURE 3
FIGURE 4

FIGURE 4
FIGURE 5

FIGURE 5
FIGURE 6

FIGURE 6
FIGURE 7

FIGURE 7
FIGURE 8

FIGURE 8
FIGURE 9

FIGURE 9
FIGURE 10

FIGURE 10
FIGURE 11

FIGURE 11
FIGURE 12

FIGURE 12
FIGURE 13

FIGURE 13
FIGURE 14

FIGURE 14
Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Material on this page was provided by Paul Smith, Agatha Boveda, Marianella Velilla and José Luis Cartes and is used with their permission.
LOWLAND TAPIR Tapirus terrestris
The Tapir is the largest mammal in South America, a huge beast, somewhere intermediate between a horse and an elephant. The long "proboscis" acts like a hand (much the same as an elephant´s trunk) and is used to pick vegetation and transfer it to the mouth. Baby Tapirs are stripey, helping to camouflage them, and they keep contact with their parents through a series of high-pitched whistles. The Tapir is still quite common in the Chaco, though hunting pressure has more or less eliminated it from much of its former range in the Orient. Tapirs are the only Odd-toed Ungulates (Perissodactyls) in Paraguay. Note how much the dung resembles that of a horse (FPMAM947PH).
Click on the images to enlarge them.
FIGURE 1 - (FPMAM521PH) Adult, Departamento Concepción (Marianella Velilla December 2007).
FIGURE 2 - (FPMAM522PH) Adult in semi-captivity, Cruce los Pioneros, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith October 2007).
FIGURE 3 - (FPMAM523PH) Adult swimming, Arroyo Tagatiya, Departamento Concepción (José Luis Cartes undated).
FIGURE 4 - (FPMAM946PH) Adult female, Madrejón, Departamento Boquerón (Paul Smith April 2011).
FIGURE 5 - (FPMAM524PH) Adult, Zoologico Juan XXIII, Departamento Itapúa  (Paul Smith June 2007).
FIGURE 6 - (FPMAM525PH) Same individual head detail (Paul Smith June 2007).
FIGURE 7 - (FPMAM526PH) Adult and juvenile, Los Pioneros, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith October 2008).
FIGURE 8 - (FPMAM527PH) Domesticated juvenile La Patria, High Chaco (Paul Smith July 2006).
FIGURE 9 - (FPMAM528PH) Juvenile, Itaipú Zoo, Hernandarias, Departamento Alto Paraná (Agatha Boveda undated).
FIGURE 10 - (FPMAM1007PH) Hind foot, Filadelfia, Departamento Boquerón (Paul Smith September 2011).
FIGURE 11 - (FPMAM531PH) Adult footprint, PN Teniente Enciso (Paul Smith July 2006).
FIGURE 12 - (FPMAM532PH) Juvenile footprint Laguna Capitán, Cuenca Upper Yacaré Sur (Paul Smith September 2006).
FIGURE 13 - (FPMAM947PH) Fresh faeces, PN Teniente Enciso, Departamento Boquerón (Paul Smith April 2011).
FIGURE 14 - (FPMAM533PH) Dry faeces, PN Teniente Enciso, Departamento Boquerón (Paul Smith July 2006).
VIDEO - (FPMAM534VI) Adult and juvenile, Bahía Negra (Paul Smith September 2006).
DORSAL

DORSAL
LATERAL

LATERAL
LOWLAND TAPIR Tapirus terrestris
DORSAL (FPMAM529PH); LATERAL (FPMAM530PH)
Skulls courtesy of PN Tte Enciso museum