The Philippine eagle-owl has a total wingspan of about 48 inches, and
with a total length of 40–50 cm (15.5–19.5 in) and a wing-length of
about 35 cm (14 in), (where typically a female would size larger than a
male) it is the largest owl in the Philippines, but among the smallest members of the genusKetupa.[4][5][6]
It is overall rufous with a lighter belly and yellow eyes. It has a
warm brown coloring with many markings on its back, with a bird call
pitch of a long whistle that rises shortly and falls at the end.[7] It is also described as being incredibly bulky and having tufted ears, closely resembling the buffy fish-owl (Ketupa ketupu).[8] The subspecies K. p. mindanensis is darker and more heavily streaked than the nominate form.[5]
The Philippine eagle-owl was formally described in 1851 by the German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup. He placed the owl in his new genus Pseudoptynx and coined the binomial namePseudoptynx philippensi.[9][10] The Philippine eagle-owl is now placed in the genus Ketupa that was introduced in 1831 by the French naturalist René Lesson.[11][12]
Habitat
At captive bird in Avilon Zoo, Rodriguez, Rizal, Philippines
This owl inhabits forest edges near streams. They rest in a tree
during the day and hunts hunt at dusk to feed on small vertebrates. The
Philippine eagle-owl is the largest owl in the country.[13]
Little is known about the behavior of this secretive species, but the powerful feet suggest it feeds on small mammals and birds.[5]
This eagle-owl lays one egg per clutch and has an incubation period of 35 days.[14]
In December 2005, Negros Forests and Ecological Foundation (NFEFI) in Bacolod was the first conservation center in the world to successfully hatch a Philippine eagle-owl (aptly nicknamed Bubo) in captivity and it has the only breeding pair of these owls in captivity anywhere in the world.
On November 21, 2005, conservationists at the center made world
history when it successfully bred a Philippine eagle-owl in captivity.
Notably NFEFI had first secured the first-ever captive breeding loan
between DENR-accredited institutions in the Philippines, consisting of
three pairs of eagle-owls from the Avilon Montalban Zoological Park in
Montalban, Rizal and transported them to Bacolod in December 2002. Two pairs showed attraction, and the couple Hinahon and Suplada—local
terms for "calm" and "snob"—made courtship. It was on November 21,
2005, that an owlet was discovered in the nest, about three days old,
and named Bubo. As Bubo grew, Suplada taught it how to tear pieces of mouse meat, thus rearing it.
In 2006, Suplada also laid one egg and another owlet was hatched
through the aidof the World Owl Trust, Flora and Fauna
International-Philippine Biodiversity Conservation program and the
Avilon Zoological Park in Montalban Rizal.[15]
The Philippine eagle-owl is also protected in areas through the
Conservation of Priority Protected Areas Project (CPPAP) in Luzon, Mts
Kitanglad and Apo on MIndanao.[16]
Hunting of the Philippine eagle-owl is illegal in the Philippines, but
lacks proper enforcement because many local people are able to resist
strict control attempts.[16]
After hatching, Philippine eagle-owl chicks need to be intensely cared for by their parents. These new chicks are unable to thermoregulate by themselves, so they need the body heat from their mother or father to keep them warm.[17]
These chicks are also unable to feed themselves due to their lack of
ability to fly. The father bird will go out to catch the food while the
mother will tear it up into smaller pieces for the chick to eat.[18]
This species has been assessed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Its population is estimated at 2,500 to 10,000 mature adults and is
declining. Its main threats are habitat loss from illegal logging, land
conversion, mining. This species is also persecuted as owls are
supposedly bad luck. It has also been recorded being traded in illegal
wildlife trade groups.
Most recent records of this bird are in Luzon, there's only 1
unexpected record in Bohol in 1994 and Mindanao records are extremely
sparse.
It is recommended that further fieldwork be conducted to better
understand its distribution and status; improve the protection in
existing protected areas and better develop the captive breeding
population.[19]
The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), also known as the monkey-eating eagle or great Philippine eagle, is a critically endangered species of eagle of the family Accipitridae which is endemic to forests in the Philippines.
It has brown and white-colored plumage, a shaggy crest, and generally
measures 86 to 102 cm (2.82 to 3.35 ft) in length and weighs 4.04 to
8.0 kg (8.9 to 17.6 lb).
The Philippine eagle is considered the largest of the extant
eagles in the world in terms of length and wing surface area, with only Steller's sea eagle and the Harpy eagle being larger in terms of weight and bulk.[3][4] It has been declared the national bird of the Philippines.[5][6]
The most significant threat to the species is loss of habitat, a result
of high levels of deforestation throughout most of its range. Because
of this, the IUCN Red List has classified the species as "critically endangered".
Killing a Philippine eagle is a criminal offence, punishable by law with up to 12 years' imprisonment and heavy fines.[7]
The first European to study the species was the English explorer and naturalist John Whitehead in 1896, who observed the bird and whose servant, Juan, collected the first specimen a few weeks later.[9] The skin of the bird was sent to William Robert Ogilvie-Grant in London in 1896, who initially showed it off in a local restaurant and described the species a few weeks later.[10]
Upon its scientific discovery, the Philippine eagle was first
called the monkey-eating eagle because of reports from natives of Bonga,
Samar, where the species was first discovered, that it preyed exclusively on monkeys.[11] These reports gave its generic name, from the Greekpithecus (πίθηκος, "ape" or "monkey") and phagus (-φάγος, "eater of").[12] The species name commemorates Jeffery Whitehead, the father of John Whitehead.[10] Later studies revealed, however, that the alleged monkey-eating eagle also ate other animals, such as colugos, large snakes, monitor lizards, and even large birds such as Hornbills. This, coupled with the fact that the same name applied to the African Crowned eagle and the Central and South American Harpy eagle, it was renamed "Philippine eagle" in a 1978 proclamation by then-PresidentFerdinand Marcos.[13] In 1995, it was declared a national emblem under President Fidel V. Ramos. This species has no recognized subspecies.[14]
A 1919 study of the bird’s skeletal features led to the suggestion that the nearest relative was the Harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja).[15] The species was included in the subfamily Harpiinae until a 2005 study of DNA sequences which identified them as not members of the group, finding instead that the nearest relatives are Snake eagles (Circaetinae), such as the bateleur. The species has subsequently been placed in the subfamily Circaetinae.[16]
The Philippine eagle's nape is adorned with long, brown feathers
that form a shaggy, mane-like crest. The eagle has a dark face and a
creamy-brown nape and crown. The back of the Philippine eagle is dark
brown, while the underside and underwings are white. The heavy legs are
yellow, with large, powerful, dark claws, and the prominent, large, high-arched, deep beak
is a bluish-gray. The eagle's eyes are blue-gray. Juveniles are similar
to adults except their upperpart feathers have pale fringes.[17]
The Philippine eagle is typically reported as measuring 86–102 cm (2 ft 10 in – 3 ft 4 in) in total length,[4][17][18][19] but a survey of several specimens from some of the largest natural history collections in the world found the average was 95 cm (3 ft 1 in) for males and 105 cm (3 ft 5 in) for females.[20] Based on the latter measurements, this makes it the longest extant species of eagle, as the average for the female equals the maximum reported for the harpy eagle[19] and Steller's sea eagle.[4] The longest Philippine eagle reported anywhere and the longest eagle outside of the extinct Haast's eagle is a specimen from Field Museum of Natural History with a length of 112 cm (3 ft 8 in), but it had been kept in captivity[3] so may not represent the wild individuals due to differences in the food availability.[21][22]
The level of sexual dimorphism in size is not certain, but the male is believed to be typically about 10% smaller than the female,[4] and this is supported by the average length provided for males and females in one source.[20] In many of the other large eagle species, the size difference between adult females and males can exceed 20%.[4] For adult Philippine eagles, the complete weight range has been reported as 4.7 to 8.0 kg (10.4 to 17.6 lb),[4][23][24]
while others have found the average was somewhat lower than the above
range would indicate, at 4.5 kg (9.9 lb) for males and 6.0 kg (13.2 lb)
for females.[20] One male (age not specified) was found to weigh 4.04 kg (8.9 lb).[25] The Philippine eagle has a wingspan of 184 to 220 cm (6 ft 0 in to 7 ft 3 in) and a wing chord length of 57.4–61.4 cm (22.6–24.2 in).[4][26]
The maximum reported weight is surpassed by two other eagles (the
harpy and Steller's sea eagles) and the wings are shorter than large
eagles of open country (such as the white-tailed eagle, Steller's sea eagle, martial eagle, or wedge-tailed eagle), but are quite broad.[4] The tarsus
of the Philippine eagle ties as the longest of any eagle from 12.2 to
14.5 cm (4.8 to 5.7 in) long, which is about the same length as that of
the much smaller but relatively long-legged New Guinea eagle.[4]
The very large but laterally compressed bill rivals the size of
Steller's sea eagle's as the largest bill for an extant eagle. Its bill
averages 7.22 cm (2.84 in) in length from the gape.[3] The tail is fairly long at 42–45.3 cm (16.5–17.8 in),[4] while another source lists a tail length of 50 cm (20 in).[27]
The most frequently heard noises made by the Philippine eagle are loud, high-pitched whistles ending with inflections in pitch.[28] Additionally, juveniles have been known to beg for food by a series of high-pitched calls.[17]
This eagle is found in dipterocarp
and mid montane forests, particularly in steep areas. Its elevation
ranges from the lowlands to mountains of over 1,800 m (5,900 ft). Only
an estimated 9,220 km2 (2,280,000 acres) of old-growth forest remain in the bird's range.[10] However, its total estimated range is about 146,000 km2 (56,000 sq mi).[17]
Ecology and behavior
Illustration of a Philippine eagle kept in captivity in London in 1909–1910
Evolution in the Philippines,
without other predators, made the eagles the dominant hunter in the
Philippine forests. The Philippine eagle has a wide range of prey which
includes birds, reptiles and mammals (mainly civets and colugos).[30]
Each breeding pair requires a large home range to successfully raise a chick, thus the species is extremely vulnerable to deforestation. Earlier, the territory has been estimated at 100 km2
(39 sq mi), but a study on Mindanao Island found the nearest distance
between breeding pairs to be about 13 km (8.1 mi) on average, resulting
in a circular plot of 133 km2 (51 sq mi).[31]
The species' flight is fast and agile, resembling the smaller hawks more than similar large birds of prey.[32]
Juveniles in play behavior have been observed gripping knotholes
in trees with their talons, and using their tails and wings for balance,
inserting their heads into tree cavities.[33]
Additionally, they have been known to attack inanimate objects for
practice, as well as attempt to hang upside down to work on their
balance.[33] As the parents are not nearby when this occurs, they apparently do not play a role in teaching the juvenile to hunt.[33]
Life expectancy for a wild eagle is estimated to be from 30 to 60 years. A captive Philippine eagle lived for 41 years in Rome Zoo, and it was already an adult when it arrived at the zoo.[33] Another captive Philippine eagle lived for 46 years at the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao City.[34] However, wild birds on average are believed to live shorter lives than captive birds.[33]
The
Philippine eagle was known initially as the Philippine monkey-eating
eagle because it was believed to feed on monkeys almost exclusively.[4] The only two monkeys native to the Philippines are Philippine long-tailed macaque and common long-tailed macaques, both are subspecies of crab-eating macaque and weighing 4.7 to 8.3 kg (10 to 18 lb) in males and 2.5 to 5.7 kg (5.5 to 12.6 lb) in females.[35] Though Philippine eagles do prey on these monkeys, they are an opportunist apex predator, taking prey based on their local level of abundance and ease.[36]
This misconception may have come from the first examined specimen which
was found to have undigested pieces of a monkey in its stomach.[36]
Prey specimens found at the eagle's nest have ranged in size from a small bat weighing 10 g (0.35 oz) to a Philippine deer weighing 14 kg (31 lb).[36] The primary prey is usually the tree squirrel-sized Philippine flying lemurs, which can make up an estimated 90% of the raptor's diet in some locations.[32]
However, primary prey species vary from island to island depending on
species availability, particularly in Luzon and Mindanao, because the
islands are in different faunal regions. For example, flying lemurs are
preferred prey in Mindanao, but are absent in Luzon.[10] The primary prey for the eagles seen in Luzon are macaques, reptiles, and Northern Luzon giant cloud rat (Phloeomys pallidus) which can weigh twice as much as flying lemurs at 2 to 2.5 kg (4.4 to 5.5 lb).[36][32] In many regions, civets are taken as supplemental prey, mainly cat-sized Asian palm civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) but occasionally larger Malay civets (Viverra tangalunga).[36][37][38][39] Other mammalian prey can include flying squirrels, tree squirrels, flying foxes, rats and mouse-deer.[36][40] Birds are also taken, including large species such as owls, hawks and hornbills.[4] Reptiles occasionally form a large part of their diet, snakes such as Ptyas luzonensis and Gonyosoma oxycephalum are mainly taken.[38] Venomous pit vipers (Viperidae) are also taken as prey, and in one instance, a breeding pair delivered a Philippine cobra (Naja philippinensis) to the nest.[37][39]Monitor lizards, including marbled water monitors (Varanus marmoratus) and even larger Northern Sierra Madre forest monitors (Varanus bitatawa) have been taken.[38][36] While most of the prey consists of wild prey, they have been reported to capture domestic fowls (Gallus gallus domesticus), cats (Felis catus), young pigs (Sus domesticus) and small dogs (Canis familiaris).[36][32][38][37]
Philippine eagles primarily use two hunting techniques. One is
still-hunting, in which it watches for prey activity while sitting
almost motionlessly on a branch near the canopy. The other is
perch-hunting, which entails periodically gliding from one perch to
another. While perch-hunting, they often work their way gradually down
from the canopy down the branches, and if not successful in finding prey
in their initial foray, they fly or circle back up to the top of the
trees to work them again. Eagles in Mindanao often find success using
the latter method while hunting flying lemurs, since they are nocturnal
animals that try to use camouflage to protect themselves by day.[4]
Eagle pairs sometimes hunt troops of monkeys cooperatively, with one
bird perching nearby to distract the primates, allowing the other to
swoop in from behind, hopefully unnoticed, for the kill.[4][32]
Since the native macaque is aggressive and often around the same size
as the eagle itself or even larger, up to 9 kg (20 lb) in adult males,
it is a potentially hazardous prey, and an eagle has been reported to
suffer a broken leg after it struggled and fell along with a large male
monkey.[36]
Reproduction
A Philippine eagle nestling
The complete breeding cycle of the Philippine eagle lasts two years.
The female matures sexually at five years of age and the male at seven.
Like most eagles, the Philippine eagle is monogamous. Once paired, a
couple remains together for the rest of their lives.[9] If one dies, the remaining eagle often searches for a new mate to replace the one lost.[33]
The beginning of courtship is signaled by nest-building, and the
eagle remaining near its nest. Aerial displays also play a major role in
the courtship. These displays include paired soaring over a nesting
territory, the male chasing the female in a diagonal dive, and mutual
talon presentation, where the male presents his talons to the female's
back and she flips over in midair to present her own talons.
Advertisement displays coupled with loud calling have also been
reported. The willingness of an eagle to breed is displayed by the eagle
bringing nesting materials to the bird's nest. Copulation follows and
occurs repeatedly both on the nest and on nearby perches. The earliest
courtship has been reported in July.[33]
Breeding season is in July; birds on different islands, most
notably Mindanao and Luzon, begin breeding at different ends of this
range.[9] The amount of rainfall and population of prey may also affect the breeding season.[9] The nest is normally built on an emergent dipterocarp,
or any tall tree with an open crown, in primary or disturbed forest.
The nests are lined with green leaves, and can be around 1.5 m (4.9 ft)
across. The nesting location is around 30 m (98 ft) or even more above
the ground.[10][32] As in many other large raptors, the eagle's nest resembles a huge platform made of sticks.[4][32] The eagle frequently reuses the same nesting site for several different chicks.[10]
Eight to 10 days before the egg is ready to be laid, the female is
afflicted with a condition known as egg lethargy. In this experience,
the female does not eat, drinks much water, and holds her wings
droopingly.[33] The female typically lays one egg in the late afternoon or at dusk, although occasionally two have been reported.[32][33]
If an egg fails to hatch or the chick dies early, the parents likely
lay another egg the following year. Copulation may take place a few days
after the egg is laid to enable another egg to be laid should the first
one fail. The egg is incubated for 58 to 68 days (typically 62 days)
after being laid.[4] Both sexes participate in the incubation, but the female does the majority of incubating during the day and all of it at night.[33]
Both sexes help feed the newly hatched eaglet. Additionally, the
parents have been observed taking turns shielding the eaglet from the
sun and rain until it is seven weeks old.[33] The young eaglet fledges after four or five months.[32] The earliest an eagle has been observed making a kill is 304 days after hatching.[33]
Both parents take care of the eaglet for a total of 20 months and,
unless the previous nesting attempt had failed, the eagles can breed
only in alternate years.[4][9] The Philippine eagle rivals two other large tropical eagles, namely the crowned eagle and harpy eagle, for having the longest breeding cycle of any bird of prey.[4][41]
Even nests have no predators other than humans, as even known nest
predators such as palm civets and macaques (being prey species) are
likely to actively avoid any area with regular eagle activity.[42]
Conservation
A Philippine eagle named Sir Arny, at the Philippine Eagle Center, Davao City
In 1994, the IUCN and BirdLife International listed this species as critically endangered.[1][17] The IUCN believed that between 180 and 500 Philippine eagles survive in the Philippines.[9] In 2015, about 600 were estimated to be left in the wild.[43] The Zoological Society of London listed the Philippine eagle as the top 15 EDGE species,
out of all the world's recorded species, making it the Philippines'
most "evolutionary distinct and globally endangered" species.[44]
They are threatened primarily by deforestation through logging
and expanding agriculture. Old-growth forest is being lost at a high
rate, and most of the forest in the lowlands is owned by logging
companies.[10] Mining, pollution, exposure to pesticides that affect breeding, and poaching are also major threats.[7][9]
Additionally, they are occasionally caught in traps laid by local
people for deer. Though this is no longer a major problem, the eagle's
numbers were also reduced by being captured for zoos.[9] The diminishing numbers of the Philippine eagle were first brought to international attention in 1965 by the noted Filipino ornithologist Dioscoro S. Rabor, and the director of the Parks and Wildlife Office, Jesus A. Alvarez.[45][46][47]Charles Lindbergh,
best known for crossing the Atlantic alone and without stopping in
1927, was fascinated by this eagle. As a representative of the World Wildlife Fund,
Lindbergh traveled to the Philippines several times between 1969 and
1972, where he helped persuade the government to protect the eagle. In
1969, the Monkey-eating Eagle Conservation Program was started to help
preserve this species. In 1992, the first Philippine eagles were hatched
in captivity through artificial insemination;
however, the first naturally bred eaglet was not hatched until 1999.
The first captive-bred bird to be released in the wild, Kabayan, was
released in 2004 on Mindanao; however, he was accidentally electrocuted
in January 2005. Another eagle, Kagsabua, was released in March 2008,
but was shot and eaten by a farmer.[9] In June 2015, an eagle was released after being treated for a gunshot wound; two months later it was shot and killed.[43] Killing this critically endangered species is punishable under Philippine law by 12 years in jail and heavy fines.[7]
Its numbers have slowly dwindled over the decades to the current
population of 180 to 600 eagles. A series of floods and mud slides,
caused by deforestation, further devastated the remaining population.
The Philippine eagle may soon no longer be found in the wild, unless
direct intervention is taken. The Philippine Eagle Foundation in Davao
City, is one organization dedicated to the protection and conservation
of the Philippine eagle and its forest habitat. The Philippine Eagle
Foundation has successfully bred Philippine eagles in captivity for over
a decade and conducted the first experimental release of a captive-bred
eagle to the wild. The foundation has 36 eagles at its center, of which
19 were bred in captivity, including one born in 2015, the first for
two years.[48][43]
Ongoing research on behavior, ecology, and population dynamics is
also underway. In recent years, protected lands have been established
specifically for this species, such as the 700 km2 (170,000 acres) of Cabuaya Forest and the 37.2 km2 (9,200 acres) of Taft Forest Wildlife Sanctuary on Samar.[49] However, a large proportion of the population is found on unprotected land.[9]
In
a June 2019 wildlife loan agreement, a pair of Philippine eagles; (as
of 2019) Geothermica, a 15 year old male and Sambisig (meaning one
unity) a 17 year old female, were loaned to the Jurong Bird Park Singapore.[50]
This was part of conservation efforts for the species and also
commemorated 50 years friendship between the Philippines and Singapore.
Before the pair were shipped, they were given 2 specially printed
passports dedicated to them. The pair were scheduled to stay at
Singapore for 10 years as part of the agreement.[51] The move marked the initiation of the government's Philippine Eagle Diplomacy program.[52][53] As of 2024, Geothermica had died from lung infection, his body now taxidermied at the National Museum, while Sambisig remained in Singapore at the new bird park that replaced Jurong.[54]
The Philippine eagle was officially declared the national bird of the Philippines on July 4, 1995, by President Fidel V. Ramos under Proclamation No. 615, series of 1995.[56][57] Due to the eagle’s size and rarity, it is also a coveted species for birdwatchers.[32]
The Philippine eagle has been featured on at least 12 stamps from
the Philippines, with dates ranging from 1967 to 2007. It was also
depicted on the 50-sentimo coins minted from 1983 to 1994; in 2018, on the 500-Piso commemorative silver coin, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas;[58] on January 18, 2021, and on the 5,000-Piso Lapulapu commemorative non-circulating banknote.[59]
On December 11, 2021, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas unveiled the
design of the new 1,000-Piso polymer banknote featuring the bird as the
main portrait, controversially replacing those of three World War II martyrs: Chief JusticeJosé Abad Santos, suffragist Josefa Llanes Escoda, and General Vicente Lim.
Historically, about 50 Philippine eagles have been kept in zoos in Europe (England, Germany, Belgium, Italy and France), the United States, and Japan.[60] The first was a female that arrived in London Zoo in August 1909[60] and died there in February 1910.[61] The majority arrived in zoos between 1947 and 1965.[60] The last outside the Philippines died in 1988 in the Antwerp Zoo, where it had lived since 1964 (except for a period at the Planckendael Zoo in Belgium).[60]
The first captive breeding was only achieved in 1992 at the facility of
the Philippine Eagle Foundation in Davao City, Philippines, which has
bred it several times since then.[9][62]
The Philippine eagle is also used in sporting events as a mascot, most notably one in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games held in Manila known as "Gilas". The Philippine eagle is also the animal used in the Philippines men's national basketball team or Gilas Pilipinas' logo/team crest.
The mountain tapir, also known as the Andean tapir or woolly tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) is the smallest of the four widely recognized species of tapir. It is the only one to live outside of tropical rainforests in the wild.[4] It is most easily distinguished from other tapirs by its thick woolly coat and white lips.
The species name comes from the term "La Pinchaque", an imaginary beast said to inhabit the same regions as the mountain tapir.[5]
Description
Mountain
tapirs are black or very dark brown, with occasional pale hairs flecked
in amongst the darker fur. The fur becomes noticeably paler on the
underside, around the anal region, and on the cheeks. A distinct white
band runs around the lips, although it may vary in extent, and there are
usually also white bands along the upper surface of the ears. In
adults, the rump has paired patches of bare skin, which may help to
indicate sexual maturity. The eyes are initially blue, but change to a
pale brown as the animal ages.[6]
Unlike all other species of tapir, the fur is long and woolly,
especially on the underside and flanks, reaching 3.5 cm (1.4 in) or more
in some individuals.[7]
Adults are usually around 1.8 m (5.9 ft) in length and 0.75 to
1 m (2.5 to 3.3 ft) in height at the shoulder. They typically weigh
between 136 and 250 kg (300 and 551 lb), and while the sexes are of
similar size, females tend to be around 25 to 100 kilograms (55 to
220 lb) heavier than the males.[6][8][9][10]
Like the other types of tapir, they have small, stubby tails and long, flexible proboscises.
They have four toes on each front foot and three toes on each back
foot, each with large nails and supported by a padded sole. A patch of
bare skin, pale pink or grey in colour, extends just above each toe.[6]
Reproduction
Female mountain tapirs have a 30-day estrous
cycle, and typically breed only once every other year. During
courtship, the male chases the female and uses soft bites, grunts, and
squeals to get her attention, while the female responds with frequent
squealing. After a gestation period of 392 or 393 days, the female gives
birth to a single young; multiple births are very rare.[11]
Newborn mountain tapirs weigh about 5.4 to 6.2 kg (12 to 14 lb)
and have a brown coat with yellowish-white spots and stripes. Like
adults, baby mountain tapirs have thick, woolly fur to help keep them
warm. Weaning
begins at around three months of age. The immature coloration fades
after about a year, but the mother continues to care for her young for
around 18 months. Mountain tapirs reach sexual maturity at age three and have lived up to 27 years in captivity.[6]
Mountain tapirs are also important seed dispersers within their environments, and have been identified as a keystone species of the high Andes. A relatively high proportion of plant seeds eaten by mountain tapirs successfully germinate in their dung,
probably due to a relatively inefficient digestive system and a
tendency to defecate near water. Although a wide range of seeds are
dispersed in this manner, those of the endangered wax palm seem to rely almost exclusively on mountain tapirs for dispersal, and this plant, along with the highland lupine, declines dramatically whenever the animal is extirpated from an area.[12]
When
around other members of their species, mountain tapirs communicate
through high-pitched whistles, and the males occasionally fight over estrous
females by trying to bite each other's rear legs. But for the most
part, mountain tapirs are shy and lead solitary lives, spending their
waking hours foraging for food on their own along well-worn tapir paths.[13] Despite their bulk, they travel easily through dense foliage, up the steep slopes of their hilly habitats, and in water, where they often wallow and swim.
Mountain tapirs are generally crepuscular,
although they are more active during the day than other species of
tapirs. They sleep from roughly midnight to dawn, with an additional
resting period during the hottest time of the day for a few hours after
noon, and prefer to bed down in areas with heavy vegetation cover.[6]
Mountain tapirs forage for tender plants to eat. When trying to access
high plants, they will sometimes rear up on their hind legs to reach and
then grab with their prehensile
snouts. Though their eyesight is lacking, they get by on their keen
senses of smell and taste, as well as the sensitive bristles on their
proboscises.[14]
Males will frequently mark their territory with dung piles, urine, and rubbings on trees,
and females will sometimes engage in these behaviors, as well. The
territories of individuals usually overlap, with each animal claiming
over 800 hectares (3.1 sq mi), and females tend to have larger
territories than males.[12]
The mountain tapir is found in the cloud forests and páramo of the Eastern and Central Cordilleras mountains in Colombia, Ecuador, and the far north of Peru. Its range may once have extended as far as western Venezuela, but it has long been extirpated from that region. It commonly lives at elevations
between 2,000 and 4,300 metres (6,600 and 14,100 ft), and since at this
altitude temperatures routinely fall below freezing, the animal's
woolly coat is essential. During the wet season, mountain tapirs tend to inhabit the forests of the Andes, while during the drier months, they move to the páramo, where fewer biting insects pester them.[12]
The mountain tapir has no recognised subspecies.
In Peru, it is protected in the National Sanctuary Tabaconas
Namballe. The species needs continuous stretches of cloud forest and páramo,
rather than isolated patches, to successfully breed and maintain a
healthy population, and this obstacle is a major concern for conservationists trying to protect the endangered animal.
The
mountain tapir is the least specialised of the living species of tapir,
and has changed the least since the origin of the genus in the early Miocene. Genetic studies have shown that mountain tapirs diverged from its closest relative, the Brazilian tapir, in the late Pliocene, around three million years ago. This would have been shortly after the formation of the Panamanian Isthmus,
allowing the ancestors of the two living species to migrate southward
from their respective points of origin in Central America as part of the
Great American Interchange. However, the modern species most likely originated in the Andes, some time after this early migration.[6]
Vulnerability
Two mountain tapirs in San Francisco Zoo
The mountain tapir is the most threatened of the five Tapirus species, classified as "Endangered" by the IUCN in 1996. According to the IUCN, there was a 20% chance the species could have been extinct
as early as 2014. Due to the fragmentation of its surviving range,
populations may already have fallen below the level required to sustain
genetic diversity.[12]
Historically, mountain tapirs have been hunted for their meat and
hides, while the toes, proboscises, and intestines are used in local folk medicines and as aphrodisiacs. Since they will eat crops when available, they are also sometimes killed by farmers protecting their produce. Today, deforestation for agriculture and mining, and poaching are the main threats to the species.[6]
There may be only 2,500 individuals left in the wild today,
making it all the more difficult for scientists to study them. Also,
very few individuals are found in zoos. Only a handful of breeding pairs
of this species exists in captivity in the world — at the Los Angeles Zoo, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, and, as of 2006, the San Francisco Zoo.[15][16][17] In Canada, a mating pair is kept in Langley, BC, at the Mountain View Conservation and Breeding Centre. The nine individuals in captivity are descendants of just two founder animals.[citation needed] This represents a distinct lack of genetic diversity
and may not bode well for their continued existence in captivity. The
three zoos that house this species are working to ensure that the
remaining wild populations of mountain tapirs are protected. Two
mountain tapirs were sent from San Francisco Zoo to Cali Zoo, making them be the only captive tapirs in their natural home range;[citation needed] one male is kept in Pitalito, it could be moved to the Cali Zoo to make a breeding pair.[citation needed]
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