This is as good as it gets!

Photo by Ingo Behrmann: Lowland tapir at Le Barben Zoo, France

Photo © Copyright Ingo Behrmann 1997

You said you wondered what a tapir's snout and teeth REALLY look like? You got it! The small bulge at the bottom of the snout is used to help the tapir feed on branches and leaves, helping it pull the food into its mouth. It will also take pieces of food gently between its snout and lower lip before pulling them into its mouth. This tapir is probably asking for a snack!

About the teeth: tapirs have three upper incisors on each side. The third one will lengthen into a short tusk as the tapir gets older. The fourth tooth (not clearly visible here) is actually the canine, but it will remain smaller than the third incisor. In case you were wondering, this species is Tapirus terrestris, the lowland tapir. The photo was taken at Le Barben Zoo, France.

All tapirs are endangered species.
Saving tapirs helps save the rainforest.

Ingo Behrmann's web site once featured Anja, the last mountain tapir in Europe (d. 1997). Now the site seems to have disappeared.

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