Diet of the lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestrisL.) in the Tabaro River valley, southern Venezuela

Abstract

In this study we document the diet, determine diet selection, and evaluate the seed-dispersal role of lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris L.) in the Tabaro River valley of southern Venezuela. The diet was assessed by checking treefall gaps and closed-canopy areas of equal size for browsing signs, examining droppings for seeds and fruit remains, and casually asking experienced Ye'kwana Indian hunters. Plants browsed by tapirs were identified and counted. The abundance of each plant species at the study site was determined using 25-m2 quadrats and compared with its abundance in the diet to determine selectivity. Because tapirs defecate in water, their role as seed dispersers was examined by analyzing the distribution of diet species using a data base of the locations of trees at the study site. Information from the 25-m2 quadrats was used for lianas and shrubs. Results show that tapirs selectively browse on 88 out of at least 256 plant species, consistently avoiding more species in closed-canopy areas. Some species occur significantly more frequently in the diet than their relative abundance in the forest. Tapirs eat fruits of 33 species; 2 of these are mainly found near the water and 9 away from the water.

Model Thresholds are More Important than Presence Location Type: Understanding the Distribution of Lowland tapir (Tapirus Terrestris) in a Continuous Atlantic Forest of Southeast Brazil

“…Often a combination of different sign types is used for generating tapir distribution models (e.g. [8,14]). Yet it is unclear what can be inferred from the use of these different indirect signs when modeling the species distribution.…”

Mammalian Diversity and Matses Ethnomammalogy in Amazonian Peru Part 2: Xenarthra, Carnivora, Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, and Sirenia

“…Additionally, several food-plant taxa mentioned by our informants have previously been reported in tapir dietary studies (e.g., Bodmer, 1990;Salas and Fuller, 1996;Henry et al, 2000). However, the Matses state unequivocally that tapirs are killed and eaten by jaguars and large anacondas, whereas Salas (1996) claimed that adult tapirs are immune from predation.…”

“…Remarks: Matses interviews about tapirs include many familiar aspects of the biology of this culturally important species, including its marked preference for floodplain habitats, use of paths, nocturnal visitation of mineral licks, solitary behavior, mixed diet of browse and fruit, and curious habit of defecating in water (Salas, 1996;Salas and Fuller, 1996;Henry et al, 2000;Tober et al, 2009;Link et al, 2012). Additionally, several food-plant taxa mentioned by our informants have previously been reported in tapir dietary studies (e.g., Bodmer, 1990;Salas and Fuller, 1996;Henry et al, 2000).…”

Comparative diet of hedgehogs (Atelerix algirus) in two localities in Kabylia, Algeria

“…Understanding the trophic behavior of a given species is essential as it constitutes the first principle of animal ecology (Salas and Fuller, 1996). Many factors cause the study of diet to be of the utmost importance.…”