Living Fossils in the Shadows: Malayan Tapirs

2026-01-26

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Tapirs are one of the world’s most unusual mammals, often described as a mix between a pig, elephant, and hippo. Yet, they’re actually related to horses and rhinos. The Malayan tapir stands out with its striking black-and-white coloring, flexible mini-trunk snout, and surprising ability to swim and dive. Shy and mostly nocturnal, tapirs are rarely seen, which only adds to their mystery. Beyond their odd looks, tapirs play a vital ecological role. They’re known as “gardeners of the forest,” dispersin...

Tapirs are one of the world’s most unusual mammals, often described as a mix between a pig, elephant, and hippo. Yet, they’re actually related to horses and rhinos.

The Malayan tapir stands out with its striking black-and-white coloring, flexible mini-trunk snout, and surprising ability to swim and dive. Shy and mostly nocturnal, tapirs are rarely seen, which only adds to their mystery.

Beyond their odd looks, tapirs play a vital ecological role. They’re known as “gardeners of the forest,” dispersing large seeds across vast areas as they move through rainforests and rivers.

Tapirs are also ancient survivors. Their lineage stretches back more than 50 million years, making them true living fossils. Despite outlasting ice ages and mass extinctions, the Malayan tapir is now Endangered, with habitat loss, road collisions, and fragmentation pushing populations into decline.

This episode was originally released in 2021.

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