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A mountain tapir
at the L.A. Zoo

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Photo © Sheryl Todd

A mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) at the Los Angeles Zoo about 1971. The mountain tapir is the smallest of the four tapir species, and has the most hair. Its fur is about an inch long and is reddish-brown to black in color. The white lips are typical of the species. In the wild, they occur only in isolated regions of the Andes - and their numbers are becoming smaller day by day. Only a handful are being kept in the world's zoos. Continued efforts must be made to save this species in the wild.