Mountain Tapirs

markun

markun

Well-Known Member
Does anyone have any information about mountain tapirs? I heard that the captive gene pool is very small and wondered if anything will be done about this.

I'm also curious about their management and requirements and what kind of animals they are to work with compared with Malayan (I know very agressive) and Brazilian (more easy going) tapirs.

Thanks!
 
The genepool is very small, the founders of the very small polutaion are only two animals.
This species has no future in zoos.
 
Blackduiker

All existing Mountain Tapirs are owned by the Los Angeles Zoo. Every other speciman outside of Los Angeles is on loan from that institution. There is discussion amongst Los Angeles and South American countries and institutions concerning an exchange of gene pools, so I wouldn't quite write-off the species in captivity yet. Let's not forget the California Condor!

As for the temperament of Mountain or Woolly Tapirs, I personally worked behind the scenes with them in Los Angeles while in the keeper's training class, and found them to be quite docile. Though I'm sure more qualified and experienced keepers that have worked with them could give a better breakdown.
 
My opinion regarding the future of ex-situ mountain tapir husbandry is a little bit less pessimistic than Zebraduiker's: although the zoo founding population of this species is indeed extremely narrow (and the husbandry history so far full of missed opportunties and unlucky losses), this doesn't consequently rule out the possibility to keep them in zoos, as inbreeding depression has been remarkably low in several species with a similar small founding population, and the zoo population so far appears to be pretty healthy. And who knows; maybe the people in charge in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru might change their mind in the near future and allow the export of several individuals to increase the in-situ population? Probably before Cologne Zoo gets its mountain tapir...;)

About the general husbandry: as far as I know, the husbandry of mountain tapirs is pretty much the same as that of the other tapir species, although, thanks to their thick (under)fur, they are capable of dealing with colder weather than the other, tropical tapir species, thus making them even more interesting for European or North American zoos. The ones I encountered so far were pretty friendly animals (as far as wild animals are concerned).
 
Last edited:
Thanks for these answers. So is Cologne Zoo likely to get Mountain tapirs? Where would they come from? I'd be interested to know if any other European collections have an interest in or a history of maintaining them.
 
1 Mountain Tapir: LA Zoo => Cologne Zoo. When: ???

I know that at least some European collections would be interested to get one - if it weren't for the red tape...
 
Because there are no females availible. I personally hope Cologne will not put a lot of money into importing a single male without the chance to get a female within foreseeable time. And even if they could get a female - she should go to a US zoo, and the LA male should stay there so that they have a spare male in case a breeding male dies.
 
Wilhelma in Stuttgart had a pair in the mid-eighties. I was taken in with them and they seemed very docile. I remember a lot of black hairs coming off on my hand when I stroked them (they were wet, and the hair just stuck to my hand).

:p

Hix
 
@Hix: The ones in Stuttgart were the last in European zoos, ending with "Anja"'s death at the age of 27 years in 1997. :(

What is "modern zoo practice"? Giving up on a (more or less) successfully reproducing ex-situ population of a highly endangered species?
 
Last edited:
I only just saw this response. All I mean is that it seems odd for a zoo to "put a lot of money into importing a single male without the chance to get a female within foreseeable time." Seems more like stamp collecting.
 
Maybe there's more to the Mountain tapir(s) in Cologne Zoo than what meets the eye... According to the Colombian embassy in Germany, this January a covenant was settled in Cologne, involving the German Ministry of the environment, Cologne Zoo and the Corporación Autónoma del Alto Magdalena. Who knows: maybe the LA mountain tapir will not stay alone in Cologne for long - once he's there...;)
Embajada de Colombia
 
"injection of new genes" So they are going to inject a nice DNA cocktail ("shaken, not sturred) into the tapir? lol Very "interesting" proposal...;)
 
Sun Wukong said:
"injection of new genes" So they are going to inject a nice DNA cocktail ("shaken, not sturred) into the tapir? lol Very "interesting" proposal...;)
Click to expand...

There's no need to make it sound so Frankensteinian. All animals which have internal fertilization utilise the DNA injection technique:)
 
So that's the now standard chat-up line at the bar: "Hey, wanna have new genes injected?" ;)

In the case of the tapirs, I'd simply call it "mating"...
 
Last edited:
Sun Wukong said:
So that's the now standard chat-up line at the bar: "Hey, wanna have new genes injected?" ;)

In the case of the tapirs, I'd simply call it "mating"...
Click to expand...

Nice bit of quick editing, you've managed to retract the personal insult.
I can't comment otherwise because I don't hang around in bars (and neither do tapirs AFAIK):)
 
From Colombian Embassy link from Sun Wukong:

...da diese Tierart in Kolumbien massiv vom Aussterben bedroht ist und das einzige Tapir-Männchen in Gefangenschaft lebt.
Click to expand...

Are they saying there is only one male mountain tapir left and it is in captivity? Do you think they are referring to the (yet to appear) male which is/might be coming from Los Angeles to Cologne?

http://www.zoochat.com/22/animal-news-20527/#post65005
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top