Tapir Crossing

I have been waiting for a chance to see a wild tapir. While seeing a specimen at the Belize Zoo was exciting, it’s just not the same. However, my first encounter with a wild tapir came under sad circumstances. The other day Belize Audubon Society received a call about a tapir that had been hit by a vehicle at mile 9 of Belize’s Western Highway. While BAS has no jurisdiction over such wildlife issues, they are always willing to lend a hand to the Law Enforcement and Wildlife division of the Forest Dept. or the Belize Zoo. I went along with a staff member to the scene to help document what had happened. The large male tapir was dead on arrival and had a broken leg from the collision. We recorded an interview of a Belizean who had reported seeing the dead tapir on his way to Belize City in the morning. Other reports suggest that the tapir was alive earlier and that the animal suffered from heat stroke later. Residents from the nearby village of Hattieville knew that tapirs where present in this area. In fact, about three weeks ago another female tapir was hit on the road, but before any officials arrived to the scene it was gone. Apparently it was picked up and sold to villagers in the market.

Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii), known as the mountain cow, is Belize’s national animal. The herbivorous animal is found where there is an abundance of successional flood-plain vegetation, which is a preferred food source of Baird's tapir. They are mostly solitary and are not very active during the day. Weighing in at 300-500 lbs, Baird’s tapir is the largest of the 3 American tapir species and the largest land mammal in Central America. Tapirs belong to the Order Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates), which includes horses and rhinoceroses. I surveyed the area and discovered a lot of tapir tracks and well worn trails. Obviously, this was not the first time the tapir had crossed the road.

Although Baird's tapir is categorized as Vulnerable, the species is considered endangered with extinction in most countries where it occurs. The main threats to tapir survival vary among different regions and different countries. Dominant forces affecting their populations are habitat loss and hunting. Tapirs are very susceptible to extinction because of their low reproductive rate. After a 13 month gestation period, the single young usually spends up to two years with its mother. This low recruitment rate coupled with hunting threats and habitat loss, is a serious factor contributing to Baird's tapir population decreases.

-IUCN Tapir Specialist Group

The story of this tapir may have been different if the driver had reported the accident. Fear may have been the reason why, because of the tapir’s protected status in Belize. When the story reaches the country on Channel 5 News, it is hopeful that drivers will be more cautious on the busy Western Highway.