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Articles

Vol. 20 No. 28 (2011)

Nuevas recomendaciones para el manejo nutricional del tapir en cautiverio

Submitted
10 July 2025
Published
2011-06-01

Abstract

In captivity, the tapir has a number of peculiarities, both anatomical and behavioral, which should be considered in order to provide proper nutrition to these animals. A report from the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians indicates that the highest proportion of adult mortality in tapirs was due to diseases of gastrointestinal origin, of which the majority were classified as being of non-infectious origin. This highlights the importance to reassess the recommendations for tapir diet in captivity. Today, a typical diet includes large amounts of fruits and produce grown for human consumption, commercial food designed for domestic horses, and fresh or alfalfa hay and some local grasses. The consumption of tree limbs and shrub is limited, despite the fact that in the wild the tapir is known to naturally include a large volume of these as their usual diet. These feeding practices in captivity may be directly related, similarly to what is observed in domestic horses, with the with metabolic acidity, which occurs due to the lack of fiber and high concentration of sugars and starches in the diet. This report is intended to, in addition to characterize the current diet of tapirs in some zoos, propose new guidelines for the husbandry nutrition of tapir in captivity.

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