FaunaHub
ENEndangeredPartial review

Malayan Tapir

Tapirus indicus

Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus), black with a bold white midsection.

Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus).

Image: Another one of my pictures: This photograph was taken by Medium69 (William Crochot) and re, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category
EN · Endangered
Animal group
Mammals
Population trend
Decreasing
Last verified

Conservation overview

The Malayan tapir is the largest tapir and the only Old World species, with a bold black-and-white pattern. It is assessed as Endangered.

Its striking two-tone coat is camouflage that breaks up its outline at night.

Range & habitat

Forests of the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

  • Deforestation
  • Roads and vehicle collisions
  • Hunting

Why it matters

As a large browser that disperses seeds, the Malayan tapir helps regenerate Southeast Asian forests and is a flagship for their conservation.

Gallery

A Malayan tapir showing its two-tone pattern.

Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus); this individual is in a zoo.

Image: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Malayan Tapir

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Malayan tapir black and white?
The bold pattern is thought to be disruptive camouflage: in moonlight it breaks up the animal's shape, helping it avoid predators such as tigers.
Why is the Malayan tapir Endangered?
Published assessments cite deforestation, road collisions, and hunting across the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra. See the IUCN Red List.

Last updated: