Tapirus pinchaque
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
The mountain tapir, also known as the Andean tapir or woolly tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), is the smallest of the four widely recognized species of tapir. It is found only in certain portions of the Andean Mountain Range in northwestern South America. As such, it is the only tapir species to live outside of tropical rainforests in the wild. It is most easily distinguished from other tapirs by its thick woolly coat and white lips.
The species name comes from the term "Pinchaque", an imaginary beast said to inhabit the same regions as the mountain tapir. Mountain tapirs are black or very dark brown, with occasional pale hairs flecked in amongst the darker fur. The fur becomes noticeably paler on the underside, around the anal region, and on the cheeks. A distinct white band runs around the lips, although it may vary in extent, and there are usually also white bands along the upper surface of the ears. In adults, the rump has paired patches of bare skin, which may help to indicate sexual maturity. The eyes are initially blue, but change to a pale brown as the animal ages. Unlike all other species of tapir, the fur is long and woolly, especially on the underside and flanks... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Nevados National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cheyenne Mountain Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Los Angeles Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Ecozoológico San Martín | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 4 | El Refugio foundation | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 5 | Cali Zoo | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 6 | Universal City Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States |
No species of the same family or order lives in Los Nevados National Natural Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other mammals.
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report an Andean Tapir sighting in Los Nevados National Natural Park on a given day, based on 59 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 6 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April and December
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report an Andean Tapir in Los Nevados National Natural Park on a given day, against under 5% in June, the lowest month.
Between 5 and 8 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Andean Tapir sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Only Los Nevados National Natural Park, in our data
Los Nevados National Natural Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Andean Tapir sightings: about 30% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Andean Tapir is recorded against all the mammals logged in Los Nevados National Natural Park (59 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
