In Belize, tapirs live mostly in the thick rainforests and lowland jungles, especially near rivers and swamps where there’s plenty of water to drink and cool off in. They can be found all across the country, quietly exploring the wild!
Belize is the perfect home for tapirs because it has big tropical forests full of plants for them to eat. Tapirs are herbivores, which means they eat only plants. They use their long, flexible noses to grab leaves, fruits and shrubs. By eating lots of different plants, they also help spread seeds, which keeps the forest healthy and growing! Because Belize has so many rivers and wetlands, tapirs love to cool off and hide in the water. They can even use their snouts like snorkels so they can breathe while swimming. How cool is that? Since Belize can get very hot, sometimes over 100 degrees, tapirs are most active at night when it’s cooler.
Even though tapirs are protected in Belize, they still face some dangers. Their biggest dangers come from losing their homes when forests are cut down and being hunted by predators like jaguars. Sometimes, it can be dangerous for tapirs to cross the highways at night, so Belize has created tapir crossing street signs so drivers can be more careful. Because there aren’t many tapirs left in the world, scientists and park rangers work hard to protect them and their homes. Belize has done a good job at that, but we must keep caring for them so they don’t disappear.
