Ancient and Amazing: Fun Facts about the Malayan Tapir
馬來貘的趣味小知識
Jessica Fisher
12/5 (THU)
The Malayan tapir, native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia, is the largest member of the tapir family. With its unique appearance and adaptations, this unusual creature has captured the hearts of nature lovers everywhere. To better understand its appeal, consider the following fun facts about this shy but amazing mammal.1
A “Living Fossil”2
Malayan tapirs’ earliest tapir ancestors3 first appeared in North America before gradually spreading to other continents. However, although more than 30 million years have passed since those first tapirs came to be, today’s tapirs are little changed from those early versions.4 Therefore, they are among the most primitive5 mammals in existence and are often referred to as “living fossils.” Meanwhile, despite the fact that they somewhat resemble6 pigs and anteaters,* they’re actually more closely related to rhinos* and horses.
A Nose Like No Other
One of the most noticeable7 features of the Malayan tapir is its strange snout. Because the snout is prehensile,* it can be used to grasp leaves and branches, much like an elephant’s trunk. It also gives tapirs a great sense of smell, which they rely on heavily for navigating,* communicating, and finding food.
馬來貘原生於東南亞的熱帶雨林，是貘科動物中體型最大的成員。憑藉其獨特的外表和適應性，這種不尋常的生物擄獲了各地自然愛好者的心。為了更好地了解牠的魅力，請細想以下有關這種害羞但令人驚嘆的哺乳動物的有趣事實。
「活化石」
馬來貘最早的貘科動物祖先首先出現在北美洲，然後逐漸散布到其他大陸。然而，儘管距離最早出現的貘科動物已超過三千萬年，但今天的貘與早期的版本幾乎沒什麼變化。因此，牠們是現存最原始的哺乳動物之一，並常被稱為「活化石」。同時，雖然牠們長得與豬和食蟻獸有些相似，但牠們實際上與犀牛和馬的親緣關係更接近。
獨一無二的鼻子
馬來貘最引人注目的特徵之一是其奇怪的鼻子。由於牠的鼻子能抓握，因此可以用來抓住樹葉和樹枝，就像大象的鼻子一樣。它還賦予貘靈敏的嗅覺，牠們非常仰賴嗅覺來辨別方向、溝通和覓食。
12/6 (FRI)
A Barrel-Shaped Body
Malayan tapirs have a large, barrel-shaped body that is perfectly adapted8 for life in dense9 forests. Combined with their tough skin, this shape provides excellent protection against predators10 like tigers, and despite their bulky* appearance, tapirs can move surprisingly quickly through thick underbrush. What’s more, they’re excellent swimmers, often using water as a means of escape or simply to cool down.
The “Oreo Tapir”
Some people call Malayan tapirs “Oreo tapirs” because their striking11 black-and-white color pattern reminds them of the famous chocolate-and-cream cookie. But the pattern isn’t just for show. On the contrary, it serves as an effective camouflage.* Specifically, it helps break up the tapir’s outline, making it harder for predators to spot the tapir in the shadows of the forest environment. Interestingly, baby tapirs have a different pattern that features stripes and spots, which helps them blend12 into the dappled* sunlight and leaf shadows of the forest floor.
From its cookie-like color pattern and prehensile snout to its special evolutionary* history, the Malayan tapir is truly one of a kind. Sadly, however, the tapir faces significant threats from habitat13 loss and hunting. Therefore, conservation14 efforts are necessary for its survival.
桶狀的身體
馬來貘有著龐大桶狀的身體，非常適合茂密森林的生活。這種體型加上堅韌厚實的皮膚，提供了對抗老虎等捕食者的絕佳保護，而儘管外型笨重，貘卻能在茂密的林下灌木叢中以驚人的速度移動。此外，牠們還是游泳高手，時常利用水作為脫逃工具或單純為了降溫。
「奧利奧貘」
有些人稱馬來貘為「奧利奧貘」，因為牠們醒目的黑白花紋使他們想起這種著名的巧克力奶油餅乾。但這種花紋不只是為了作為裝飾。相反地，它能作為有效的偽裝。具體來說，它有助於打破馬來貘的輪廓，使捕食者更難在森林環境的陰影中發現貘。有趣的是，貘寶寶身上有不同的花紋，帶有條紋和斑點，這有助於牠們融入森林地面的斑駁陽光與樹葉陰影中。
從像餅乾的顏色花紋和可抓握的鼻子到特殊的演化史，馬來貘確實獨一無二。然而，令人難過的是，馬來貘面臨著棲地喪失和獵捕的重大威脅。因此，保育工作對於貘的生存是不可或缺的。
天天爆殺 
今日66折 
博客來
博客來
博客來
博客來
博客來
常見問題
線上客服
客服信箱
