Notes on the Distribution, and Conservation Status of Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in North Peru

Diego J. Lizcano; Aivi Sissa

Articles

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2003)

Notes on the Distribution, and Conservation Status of Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in North Peru

Diego J. Lizcano^▸^▾
Aivi Sissa^▸^▾

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Submitted: 11 June 2025
Published: 2003-06-01

Abstract

Currently mountain tapirs (Tapirus pinchaque) are found in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru but their actual distribution in Peru is unknown. We analysed mountain tapir distribution in Peru by measuring the amount of habitat available to the species. We identified tapir habitats by using criteria such as areas of conflict with local communities and the main threats to mountain tapirs in the Tabaconas- Namballe National Sanctuary (TNNS). The total available area for tapirs in the Northern Andes of Peru is approximately 206,000 ha. This area could hold between 350-375 mountain tapirs. The main threat to the tapir in the region is habitat loss due to cattle ranching and forest clearance by subsistence farmers. One area of conflict was identified in eastern TNNS. In addition, we discuss the main challenges involved in conserving the mountain tapir in Peru.

References

Acosta, H., Cavelier, J. & Londoño, S. 1996. Aportes al conocimiento de la biología de la danta de montaña, Tapirus pinchaque, en los Andes centrales de Colombia. Biotropica 28, 258-266.
Brooks, D. M., Bodmer, R. E. & Matola, S. 1997. Tapirs, Status, Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland
Castillo, V., Atanasio, N., Garcia-Tello, O. & Olaya, L. 1999. Diagnóstico preliminar de flora y fauna del Santuario Nacional Tabaconas Namballe. Ministerio de Agricultura - INRENA [In Spanish]
Conservation International. 1997. The Cordillera del Cóndor Region of Ecuador and Peru: A Biological Assessment - Rapid Assessment Program, Washington DC, USA.
Downer, C. C. 1996. The mountain tapir, endangered “flagship” species of the high Andes. Oryx 30:45-58.
Downer, C. C. 1997. Status and action plan of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque). In: D. M. Brooks, R. E. Bodmer & S. Matola, (Eds.) Tapirs, Status, Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
Eisenberg, J. F. 1989. Mammals of the Neotropics: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Henderson, A., Churchill, P. & Luteyn, J. 1991. Neotropical plant diversity. Nature 229, 44-45.
Hershkovitz, P. 1954. Mammals of northern Colombia, preliminary report No. 7: Tapirs (genus Tapirus), with a systematic review of American species. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 103, 465-496.
INRENA. 2000. Informe anual Santuario Nacional Tabaconas Namballe. Evaluación socioeconómica cultural. Ministerio de Agricultura, Lima, Peru [In Spanish]
IUCN. 1996. IUCN Red list of threatened animals, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
Lizcano, D. J. & Cavelier, J. 2000a. Daily and seasonal activity of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in the Central Andes of Colombia. J. of Zool. 252, 429-435.
Lizcano, D. J. & Cavelier, J. 2000b. Densidad poblacional y disponibilidad de habitat de la danta de montaña (Tapirus pinchaque) en los andes centrales de Colombia. Biotropica 31, 165-173.
Lizcano, D. J., Pizarro, V., Cavelier, J. & Carmona, J. 2002. Geographic distribution and population size of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in Colombia. J. of Biogeography 29, 7-15.
Rios, M. 2001. Presentación del Panel “Manejo sostenible de bosques tropicales. Concesiones, planes de manejo forestal, tecnología e industria, mercado de productos forestales”. Congreso de la Republica / WWF-OPP. Lima, Peru [In Spanish]
WWF 2001. Biodiversity vision for the Northern Andes Ecoregional Complex. World Wildlife Foundation (WWF). Lima Peru.

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Keywords

Distribution
Peru
Mountain tapir

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Lizcano, D. J., & Sissa, A. (2003). Notes on the Distribution, and Conservation Status of Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in North Peru. Tapir Conservation, 12(1), 21-24. http://www.tapirconservation.org/index.php/tc/article/view/52

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[1] Acosta, H., Cavelier, J. & Londoño, S. 1996. Aportes al conocimiento de la biología de la danta de montaña, Tapirus pinchaque, en los Andes centrales de Colombia. Biotropica 28, 258-266.

[2] Brooks, D. M., Bodmer, R. E. & Matola, S. 1997. Tapirs, Status, Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland

[3] Castillo, V., Atanasio, N., Garcia-Tello, O. & Olaya, L. 1999. Diagnóstico preliminar de flora y fauna del Santuario Nacional Tabaconas Namballe. Ministerio de Agricultura - INRENA [In Spanish]

[4] Conservation International. 1997. The Cordillera del Cóndor Region of Ecuador and Peru: A Biological Assessment - Rapid Assessment Program, Washington DC, USA.

[5] Downer, C. C. 1996. The mountain tapir, endangered “flagship” species of the high Andes. Oryx 30:45-58.

[6] Downer, C. C. 1997. Status and action plan of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque). In: D. M. Brooks, R. E. Bodmer & S. Matola, (Eds.) Tapirs, Status, Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

[7] Eisenberg, J. F. 1989. Mammals of the Neotropics: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

[8] Henderson, A., Churchill, P. & Luteyn, J. 1991. Neotropical plant diversity. Nature 229, 44-45.

[9] Hershkovitz, P. 1954. Mammals of northern Colombia, preliminary report No. 7: Tapirs (genus Tapirus), with a systematic review of American species. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 103, 465-496.

[10] INRENA. 2000. Informe anual Santuario Nacional Tabaconas Namballe. Evaluación socioeconómica cultural. Ministerio de Agricultura, Lima, Peru [In Spanish]

[11] IUCN. 1996. IUCN Red list of threatened animals, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

[12] Lizcano, D. J. & Cavelier, J. 2000a. Daily and seasonal activity of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in the Central Andes of Colombia. J. of Zool. 252, 429-435.

[13] Lizcano, D. J. & Cavelier, J. 2000b. Densidad poblacional y disponibilidad de habitat de la danta de montaña (Tapirus pinchaque) en los andes centrales de Colombia. Biotropica 31, 165-173.

[14] Lizcano, D. J., Pizarro, V., Cavelier, J. & Carmona, J. 2002. Geographic distribution and population size of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in Colombia. J. of Biogeography 29, 7-15.

[15] Rios, M. 2001. Presentación del Panel “Manejo sostenible de bosques tropicales. Concesiones, planes de manejo forestal, tecnología e industria, mercado de productos forestales”. Congreso de la Republica / WWF-OPP. Lima, Peru [In Spanish]

[16] WWF 2001. Biodiversity vision for the Northern Andes Ecoregional Complex. World Wildlife Foundation (WWF). Lima Peru.