The Malayan Tapir

"Malaysia's Shy Rainforest Mammal"

As Southeast Asia's lone tapir species, the Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus) is a reclusive and solitary animal.

Its half-black and half-white body color oddly provides good camouflage against the green cover of the rainforest. A stocky mammal with a tough hide, tapirs fend off predators with their size, powerful jaws and fleet feet.

With a short trunk for a nose and a shy nature, these herbivores spend the day walking trails in the undergrowth in search of young shoots and leaves.

Active at night and during dawn and dusk times, the tapir does not see very well and relies on its keen senses of smell and hearing to forage and avoid confrontation.

A rare sight in the rainforest, shrinking habitats and hunting are causing the tapir to lose ground, literally, and teeter on the verge of extinction.

Malayan Tapir caught on camera trap in Taman Negara
Photo: Kae Kawanishi

Malayan Tapir: Distribution and Conservation

The Malayan tapir (or Asian tapir) occurs in small pockets of lowland and hill forests on the southern isthmus that combines Thailand and Myanmar, down to Peninsular Malaysia and on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Photo: Sasha Kopf Creative Commons

Research efforts to determine the total wild population are difficult in the terrain and isolation of tapir habitats. In Malaysia, estimates range around 1,500 to 2,000 animals.

The remaining animals in Thailand live in fragmented forests in extrememly small groups with little chance to reach larger protected areas or increase population size. And not much is known about the population in Sumatra, except that it is declining.

Deforestation and a rise in hunting are the culprits causing Malayan tapirs to dwindle. The conversion of forests to oil palm plantations reduces primary tapir habitat and with fewer large forest mammals to kill, hunters seek tapirs for food.

At best, Peninsular Malaysia retains 45% to 50% of its original forests and half of these habitats are suitable for wild tapir populations. So keeping natural forests intact, without removing large tracts, helps large mammals like the tapir to survive.

Seeing a tapir in the wild requires more luck than anything else. But if you visit some of the more expansive national parks, such as Taman Negara, Temenggor or Belum, you just might see some tracks or observe this marvelous rainforest mammal.

Coloration of young Malayan Tapir
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Legend of the Malayan Tapir

With a glossy, black coat, a rhino-like horn and a tiger's strength, jungle animals deemed the Tapir "the most handsome beast". Naturally, females oogled at the stature of this rainforest rockstar. But the Tapir dismissed these tiny animal admirations and felt only the strongest fauna - elephant, tiger, rhinoceros and gaur - merited his company.

The Tapir paraded himself around the jungle and expected others to entertain him with fanciful food and pleasures. His lavish taste and extravagance made other animals angry.

One day he met up with the Bamboo Rat, the chief of a gang of rats and squirrels. Expecting to be feed in grand style, Bamboo Rat apologized for their meagre rations and asked for sympathy. An upset Tapir responded by threatening to kill his clan if not feted for three days.

The Tapir (Giclee Print)
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The wily Bamboo Rat gathered up the elders and made a plan to teach the Tapir a lesson. All the animals collected herbal leaves to make a potent drink.

The Tapir arrived the next day and Bamboo Rat offered him a drink first with the promise of food and entertainment to come. The surly Tapir drank the concoction in one gulp, soon became dizzy, laid down and dozed off in a deep slumber.

Bamboo Rat and his cohorts quickly went into action. They filed down the Tapir's sharp meat-eating teeth. They cut off his horn to weaken his powers. And they painted his hind quarters white with vegetable dye to brand him a criminal.

After three days, the Tapir awoke to find his pride and powers lost. Embarrassed at his weak condition, he fled into the forest to hide in disgrace from all the other animals.

Now the lonely black and white Tapir munches on leaves and shys away from contact with anyone in the forest.

[Adapted from Orang Asli Animal Tales by Lim Boo Liat]