Did you know that it is World Tapir Day today? Yes, it has been twelve years to WORLD TAPIR DAY, a day dedicated to the conservation of the herbivore and its habitat. The day is being celebrated since 2008 and is celebrated on April 27 annually.  You may not know the existence of Tapirs, but you must because they are endangered species. On World Tapir Day, you can help spread awareness about the animals.  For those who do not know,  a tapir is a large, herbivorous mammal mainly found in South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia. They look very similar to a pig except they have a short, prehensile nose trunk. There are four widely recognized species of tapirs, all of the family Tapiridae and the genus Tapirus.

Even if you didn't hear about a Tapir before this, you could use some facts about the herbivore to do your part towards the conservation of the endangered animals like the Malayan tapir because awareness is the first step! Check out some of the facts about Tapirs:

  • The word "tapir" comes from an indigenous Brazilian language and means "thick", according to the San Diego Zoo.

  • World Tapir Day aims to develop a community to awareness and conservation and work towards beating the threats that pose against these creatures.

  • Tapirs are mainly active at night and often mistaken for anteaters.

  • Tapirs are more closely related to rhinos and horses.

  • The Malayan tapir, the largest of all tapir species, is native to Asia.

  • All tapir species face the threat of extinction. If Tapirs are protected we also, in turn, protect the rainforests and help save the planet.

Know More About Tapirs (Watch Video):

It is important to conserve the endangered herbivore and its habitat. The day aims at working towards protected areas and ecological corridors for them and also in-situ and ex-situ conservation programmes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 27, 2020 09:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).