This is the official blog of The Tapir Preservation Fund, where we raise money for (and promote) tapir conservation. Visit our Tapir Gallery web site to learn more about these amazing animals and see what you can do to help save them from extinction. We also have an online store with a special section devoted only to tapirs!
These are some of the best tapir photos I've ever seen. They were sent recently by Inge, taken at the zoo in Antwerp, Belgium. They're so striking, so nicely photographed, I'll just let them speak for themselves! (Thank you, Inge!!!) If you use them other than for your own enjoyment or as a school project, please, please credit the photographer. If you need more information, contact me at sheryl@tapirback.com.
Read about the tapir conservation work of Carl Traeholt in the New York Times article, "New Research on Malaysia’s Odd, Elusive Tapir." It reports on current work in the field of tapir conservation in Southeast Asia and gives up-to-date population estimates for the species. This photo of a tapir caught by the camera trap is from the Times article. My thanks to Jordan Shenhar for bringing the piece to my attention.
For quite a few years now, Corinna Sara Bechko has been making jewelry for our online gift shop. She creates tapirs and other animals and has the most amazingly artistic assortment of beads that she pairs with the animals. Earrings and pendants come with beads - pins do not. If you ask for a blue bead, you'll get a blue piece of art, whether it's the simply elegant blue bead above, or something with an elaborate design. In any case, they always set off the jewelry to a T. No two pieces are ever alike!
A number of years ago, a tapir fan (I think it was hyrax; if it was someone else, please remind me!) told me about this phenomenon - a huge tapir sculpture along a highway in "nowhere" Oregon that didn't quite look like a tapir. After I moved to Oregon, I thought I'd be on the lookout for it, and guess what? We drove past it purely by accident on May 6, 2005, on the way to Crater Lake. I just re-found the photos. It has some tapir characteristics, and some clearly not. But I can't think what else it was intended to be. Certainly they'd know what a cow looked like, or a horse, and this is no rhino.
I can't imagine anyone making a tapir without a long snout, and there was no broken snout, because the nostrils are placed high on the muzzle.
Hub City Chrome is located in Chiloquin, Oregon. Check out the Google map to see one of the strangest locations for a tapir-anything. Of course, we stopped and went inside to find out what they could tell us. They were not pleased to see us. "We think it was made in the '60s," they said, "but we'll probably tear it down. All it gets us is people askin' questions and blockin' up our drive-through, 'specially in summer. They don't buy anything, they just wanna talk." Well, fair enough, I guess, I know what it's like to try to run a small business when people take up your time and don't buy, but maybe they should leave the "thing" intact and put up a sign. It's an oddball attraction, for sure. Maybe they should start selling replicas. I hate to think that it could be gone by now, but the weather and time were not doing it any favors.
If it's an Asian tapir, it would have the white on the top, not on the belly.
And it has a cow's tail, but it's definitely not a cow.
The feet look more like they belong to a rhinoceros, but the legs are clearly tapir. This is all I know. The Hub City tapir remains a mystery. But if you're driving south from Bend to Klamath Falls, or north from Klamath, do check it out and let me know if it still exists, OK?
Cath,
These three photos have just arrived from Valeri Volodin of Russia. If you think you're looking at real tapirs in the top photo, you may be surprised. These tapirs are sculptures! Aren't they delightful? Click on the photo to get a closer view! The pictures were taken by Valeri at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, about 60 miles south of Bangkok.
The photos above and below are of real tapirs at Khao Kheow. Valeri says, "It was very hot, so the tapir was not very active. By the way, they have a baby tapir there, but I didn't see him."
Valeri submitted the name for our popular stuffed tapir, Yanisa. Yanisa the Stuffed Tapir was named after Valeri's daughter, who is half Russian and half Thai. The name means "Wisdom" in the Thai language. Some of us believe that tapirs are the wisest of all animals, so the name is perfect!
As in the post above, these tapir photos were sent by Valeri Volodin of Russia. Those in the post above were taken by Valeri, and the two shown on this page were taken by his wife, Chanida.
As always, thanks for sending them. I know the blog readers will enjoy seeing these tapirs and the zoos where they live.
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