Malayan Tapirs (Tapirus indicus): Far from Extinction in a Malaysian Rainforest

Kae Kawanishi; Melvin Sunquist; Sahir Othman

Short Comunication

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2002)

Malayan Tapirs (Tapirus indicus): Far from Extinction in a Malaysian Rainforest

Kae Kawanishi^▸^▾
Melvin Sunquist^▸^▾
Sahir Othman^▸^▾

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Submitted: 21 April 2025
Published: 2002-06-01

Abstract

Since independence in 1957, large areas of productive lowland forests in Malaysia have been converted into oil palm and rubber plantations through government agricultural development schemes. In addition to this habitat loss and fragmentation, increased demands for wild meat and high-priced body parts of some wild animals brought population declines of many large mammals, including elephant (Elephas maximus), sambar deer (Cervus unicolor), seladang or gaur (Bos frontalis), tapir (Tapirus indicus), Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), and tiger (Panthera tigris). The Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) and banteng (Bos javanicus) are now believed to be extinct in Peninsular Malaysia. All of the above species are totally protected in Malaysia.

References

Corbet,G.B.,andJ.H.Hill.1992.The Mammals of the Indomalayan Region: A Systematic Review. Oxford University Press, New York.
Dinerstein, E., E. Wikramanayake, J. Robinson, U. Karanth, A. Rabinowitz, D. Olson, T. Mathew, P. Hedao, M. Connor, G. Hemley, and D. Bolze. 1997. A Framework for Identifying High Priority Areas and Actions for the Conservation of Tigers in the Wild. World Wildlife Fund-US, Washington, D. C.
Holden, J. 1999. Photo-trapping in Sumatra. Tapir Conservation 9 (1): 10-11.
Holden, J. and D. Martyr. 1998. Southern Sumatra. Tapir Conservation 8: 17.
Khan, M. K. M. 1997. Status and action plan of the Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus) In: D. M. Brooks, R. E. Bodmer, and S. Matola (eds.), Tapirs: Status, Survey and Conservation Action Plan. Pp. 23-28.IUCN.
Karanth, K. U. and J. D. Nichols. 1998. Estimation of tiger densities in India using photographic captures and recaptures. Ecology 79: 2852-2862.
Karanth, K. U. and M. E. Sunquist. 1995. Prey selection by tiger, leopard and dhole in tropical forests. J. Animal Ecol. 64: 439-450.
Kawanishi, K., A. M., Sahak, and M. Sunquist. 1999. Preliminary analysis on abundance of large mammals at Sungai Relau, Taman Negara. J. Wildlife and Parks (Malaysia) 17:62-82.
Lynam, T. 1999. Camera-trapping reveals the status of Malayan tapirs in southern Thailand rainforest remnants. Tapir Conservation 9(1): 9-10.
Martyr D. and J. Holden. 2000. Regular market exists for tapir meat in Sumatra. Tapir Conservation 10(1): 16.
Rabinowitz, A. 1989. The density and behaviour of large cats in a dry tropical forest mosaic in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam Soc. 37(2): 235-251.
Taber, A.B., A.J. Novaro, N. Neris, and F.H. Colman. 1997. The food habitats of sympatric jaguar and puma in the Paraguayan Chaco. Biotropica 29: 204-213

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Keywords

distribution

How to Cite

Kawanishi, K., Sunquist, M., & Othman, S. (2002). Malayan Tapirs (Tapirus indicus): Far from Extinction in a Malaysian Rainforest. Tapir Conservation, 11(1), 23-27. http://www.tapirconservation.org/index.php/tc/article/view/11

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[1] Corbet,G.B.,andJ.H.Hill.1992.The Mammals of the Indomalayan Region: A Systematic Review. Oxford University Press, New York.

[2] Dinerstein, E., E. Wikramanayake, J. Robinson, U. Karanth, A. Rabinowitz, D. Olson, T. Mathew, P. Hedao, M. Connor, G. Hemley, and D. Bolze. 1997. A Framework for Identifying High Priority Areas and Actions for the Conservation of Tigers in the Wild. World Wildlife Fund-US, Washington, D. C.

[3] Holden, J. 1999. Photo-trapping in Sumatra. Tapir Conservation 9 (1): 10-11.

[4] Holden, J. and D. Martyr. 1998. Southern Sumatra. Tapir Conservation 8: 17.

[5] Khan, M. K. M. 1997. Status and action plan of the Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus) In: D. M. Brooks, R. E. Bodmer, and S. Matola (eds.), Tapirs: Status, Survey and Conservation Action Plan. Pp. 23-28.IUCN.

[6] Karanth, K. U. and J. D. Nichols. 1998. Estimation of tiger densities in India using photographic captures and recaptures. Ecology 79: 2852-2862.

[7] Karanth, K. U. and M. E. Sunquist. 1995. Prey selection by tiger, leopard and dhole in tropical forests. J. Animal Ecol. 64: 439-450.

[8] Kawanishi, K., A. M., Sahak, and M. Sunquist. 1999. Preliminary analysis on abundance of large mammals at Sungai Relau, Taman Negara. J. Wildlife and Parks (Malaysia) 17:62-82.

[9] Lynam, T. 1999. Camera-trapping reveals the status of Malayan tapirs in southern Thailand rainforest remnants. Tapir Conservation 9(1): 9-10.

[10] Martyr D. and J. Holden. 2000. Regular market exists for tapir meat in Sumatra. Tapir Conservation 10(1): 16.

[11] Rabinowitz, A. 1989. The density and behaviour of large cats in a dry tropical forest mosaic in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam Soc. 37(2): 235-251.

[12] Taber, A.B., A.J. Novaro, N. Neris, and F.H. Colman. 1997. The food habitats of sympatric jaguar and puma in the Paraguayan Chaco. Biotropica 29: 204-213