Despite its snout,
it's not closely related to the elephants
. And though it's pretty portly, it's not a pig or a hippopotamus. Stumped? It turns out that tapirs' closest relatives are rhinoceroses and horses.
Tapirs look something like pigs with trunks, but they are actually related to
horses and rhinoceroses
. This eclectic lineage is an ancient one—and so is the tapir itself. Scientists believe that these animals have changed little over tens of millions of years.
What is the closest relative to a tapir?
The closest relative to tapirs is actually
rhinos
, and they last shared a common ancestor around 50 million years ago! There are only five currently existing tapir species in the genus Tapirus, the only genus in the family Tapiridae.
Thanks to genetic studies, elephants, rhinoceroses and hippopotamuses are classified as separate clades altogether. Rhinos, hippos, pigs, peccaries, horses, zebras, donkeys and tapirs are
classified in clade Laurasiatheria
, while elephants, hyraxes, manatees and dugongs are classified in clade Afrotheria.
Despite their horns and armored appearance, one may expect
rhinos to share close ancestry with elephants
. But rhinoceroses are actually related to horses and tapirs, in the Mammalian Order for odd-toed ungulates, Perissodactyla. … Rhinos have three toes, which are large and splayed out to support their bulky body.
Who eats tapir?
The main predators of tapirs are
jaguars and pumas
. These cats will usually try to attack tapirs at night when they start to feed. Lowland tapirs have a ridge of fat running from their head to their back, covered with very thick skin and a bristly mane.
Why do baby tapirs have stripes?
Baby tapirs are born covered in black, yellow and white strips and spots, which
serves as camouflage against predation during these vulnerable first few months
. These stripes and spots slowly fade and are completely gone within five to six months. Tapir calves stay with their mothers for up to 18 months.
Would a rhino beat a hippo?
Both animals are highly territorial, but
the hippo is much more aggressive
. … The rhino has an impressive charge, but in close combat the enormous gape of the hippopotamus's mouth probably gives it the advantage over the long, unwieldy horn of the rhino.
Are rhinos dinosaurs?
No,
a rhino is not a type of dinosaur
. A rhino, short for rhinoceros, is a horned mammal. Dinosaurs, on the other hand, are a group of reptiles…
Are tapirs smart?
Despite their bulk, tapirs are generally considered shy and elusive and are mostly active at night. They are also excellent swimmers and despite reputations in some countries for being slow (the name for tapir in Portuguese translates loosely to “jackass”), they are
in fact quite intelligent, charismatic animals
.
Who would win rhino vs elephant?
Both animals can attack with brute force, have incredible stamina and are equally intelligent – which is perhaps why they don't typically fight! The elephant would use its tusks and feet to attack but
the rhino would possibly have the upper hand
. A rhino can run at up to 50 km/h.
Elephants belong to the family Elephantidae
What was the first rhino?
The earliest known rhinoceros-like mammal is
the Hyrachyus eximus
, dating from Early Eocene, and which was found in North America. This small animal resembled early tapirs and horses, and had no horn.
Do humans eat tapir?
Its meat, which is rich in fat and rather hard to digest, is
eaten smoked
, in soups, stews or with maize porridge. The offal, which is softer than the other parts of the animal, is the most prized, as is tapir lard, which is dark and does not solidify.
What is a tapir baby?
Lifecycle. Young tapirs reach sexual maturity between three and five years of age, with females maturing earlier than males. Under good conditions, a healthy female tapir can reproduce every two years; a single young, called
a calf
, is born after a gestation of about 13 months.
