A Preliminary Study of Habitat Selection by Malayan Tapir, Tapirus indicus, in Krau Wildlife Reserve, Malaysia

Abstract

The Malay tapir, Tapirus indicus, is the only member of the Tapiridae family to exist in Asia with the World’s remaining three species found in the Americas. The Malay tapir is believed to have split up from its three American family members approximately 20-23 million years ago. Whilst the species roamed large parts of Asia, recent finds suggest that the Malay tapir existed on Borneo from the late Pleistocene (~ 45,000 years ago) through the Holocene until as recently as perhaps a few hundred years ago. It is not known what lead to their disappearance on Borneo, but there has been a suggestion that it is linked to the change of habitat, where Malay tapirs may have preferred the rich savannah landscapes that dominated Sundaland. With the rising water level Borneo became isolated from continental Asia and forced tapirs and other large ungulates to forage in tropical rainforests that may not have been the optimal habitat for them. This study aimed at describing the micro-habitat of selected areas with known occupancy of Malay tapirs to emphasize on habitat usage and its relation to the feeding selection of Tapirus indicus at Krau Wildlife Reserve, Pahang.