Scientists recorded them using camera traps.
After 100 years of absence from Brazil, tapirs, which are one of the largest land mammals in South America, weighing up to 300 kg, have returned to the region. The last official sighting of them was recorded in 1914.
IFLScience writes about this.
Lowland tapirs, which have not appeared in the state of Rio de Janeiro for more than 100 years, now seem to have returned. With the help of camera traps, scientists were able to record their presence. The population of these animals is considered vulnerable, as their shyness and elusiveness make it difficult to accurately estimate the population size in South America.
The decline of the lowland tapir population is due to several factors, including deforestation, urbanization, hunting, and collisions with cars.
In recent years, attempts have been made to reintroduce the lowland tapir to its natural environment. The return of the animals to the state of Rio de Janeiro was likely spontaneous, confirmed by camera trap footage that captured at least four individuals, including a mother and calf.
The spontaneous return of tapirs to a region where they were thought to be extinct shows the importance of protected areas. Biologist Marcelo Cupello notes that this phenomenon indicates the restoration of forest ecosystems capable of supporting large mammals.
Tapirs play an important role in ecosystems, helping to spread the seeds of various plants in tropical forests. They use their snouts to extract plant material, and they spread the seeds through excrement. Therefore, tapirs are often called “forest gardeners”, since their activities contribute to the improvement of biodiversity in the region of their habitat.
Recall that in Ukraine they are developing a single registry for storing information about domestic animals, which will include data on vaccinations, diseases and contacts of owners.
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