Tapir
Sounds & Calls
South American Tapir (Tapirus terrestris)
Tapirs are strange-looking, large ungulates found in South America and South-east Asia. There are four recognized species, three in South America and one in South-east Asia. A fifth taxon, the Kabomani Tapir (from Brazil) has been suggested but its status as a full species is debated.
Tapirs inhabit rainforests as well as drier forests and are usually found near rivers, where they can swim and even dive. They are mostly nocturnal, although the Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) of the Andes is more crepuscular in habits and often visits salt licks during the day.
What does a tapir sound like? Tapirs make a variety of sounds including high-pitched descending whistles or shrill squeals as contact calls. They have been documented making loud wavering squealing sounds when agitated, soft clicking noises during close social interaction, and gruff snorts in aggression.
Listen to some examples of tapir calls and sounds below.
Listen to Tapir Sounds
The audio in the video below was captured at night by a remote audio rig in Ecuador’s Amazon. You can hear the sound of a South American Tapir (Tapirus terrestris) making typical descending squealing whistles as it walks past the microphones. This species is also known as the Amazonian Tapir or Lowland Tapir.
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