Know the Dantas or Tapirs
Several hypotheses exist, trying to explain the origin of the present Tapirs in our country. The first proposal by the scientist Hershkovitz in 1954 says that the 3 present species in Colombia were originated in North America, and they independently migrated to Center and South America. The first one tapir that arrived at Colombia was the Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque, in a period of time where the level of the sea in equatorial latitudes dominated the tempered climate.
Later, when the Andes mountains rose and the temperatures were increased at sea level, other species of tapirs were able to invade the new tropical habitats established at the base of the Andes, being the Central American Tapir Tapirus bairdii, the last immigrant to Colombia.
Photo: Héctor Restrepo.
The second hypothesis of the scientific Haffer in 1970, suggests that species of tapirs in Center and South America were originated in the neo tropical region from Mountain tapir Tapirus pinchaque, being an immigrant ancestor, who arrived at the Andes during its rising and originated the Tapirus terrestris and Tapirus bairdii.
Danta or Tapir is the greater terrestrial mammal of South America and shares common ancestors with the horse and the rhino. In the world there are four species of Danta or Tapirs, three in America (Tapirus terrestris, Tapirus pinchaque, Tapirus bairdii) and one in Asia (Tapirus indicus), Colombia houses the three American Tapir branches, being the country with more species. All the Tapirs are threatened of extinction due to the loss of their habitat and the hunting mainly. In addition to the three species our country also holds the subspecies Colombian Tapir (Tapirus terrestris colombianus Hershkovitz 1954) which is solely in our country (endemic) and is critically threatened of extinction. On the other hand, there is also sub species Tapirus terrestris terrestris Linnaeus, 1758 and Tapirus terrestris aenigmaticus Gray, 1872.
The Tapirs are ancient animals, considered living fossils. Particularly the female is bigger that the male in all the species; it seems that they are monogamous and extremely aloof animals, very difficult to see them in nature. The young in all the species has the same aspect as it appears in the photo.
These animals are catalogued as umbrella species , being the biggest in size, they need greater space and habitat, and consequently if we help the species that needs it the most, we are also helping all the associate biodiversity that shares the habitat with the Tapir.
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