Asian tapir
Acrocodia indica
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderPerissodactyla (Odd-toed Ungulates)
- FamilyTapiridae (Tapirs)
- GenusAcrocodia
- SpeciesAcrocodia indica (Asian tapir)
About the Asian tapir
The Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus), also called Asian tapir, Asiatic tapir, oriental tapir, Indian tapir, piebald tapir, or black-and-white tapir, is the only living tapir species outside of the Americas. It is native to Southeast Asia from the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra. It has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2008, as the population is estimated to comprise fewer than 2,500 mature individuals.
The scientific name Tapirus indicus was proposed by Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest in 1819 who referred to a tapir described by Pierre-Médard Diard. Tapirus indicus brevetianus was coined by a Dutch zoologist in 1926 who described a black Malayan tapir from Sumatra that had been sent to Rotterdam Zoo in the early 1920s.
Phylogenetic analyses of 13 Malayan tapirs showed that the species is monophyletic. It was placed in the genus Acrocodia by Colin Groves and Peter Grubb in 2011. A comparison of mitochondrial DNA of 16 perissodactyl species revealed that the Malayan tapir forms a sister group to the Tapirus species native to the Americas. It was the first Tapirus species that genetically diverged from the group, and is estimated to have done so about 25 million... Wikipedia →
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Way Kambas National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 3 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 4 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Asian tapir in Taman Negara National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Asian tapir sighting in Taman Negara National Park, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Asian tapir in Taman Negara National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Asian tapir in Taman Negara National Park in our monthly data.