Remarkable maternal behavior of Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii) at Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31687/SaremNMS23.8.3Keywords:
calf, mammal, Perissodactyla, Sirena River, swimmingAbstract
Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) prefers habitats with bodies of water in the vicinity. On 3 December 2021, we recorded a female tapir and its calf crossing the Sirena River, Corcovado National Park, southwestern Costa Rica. The calf followed its mother when it entered the river; however, in the deepest part of the river, the mother submerged for a few seconds, and when it emerged, the calf was on top of her, continuing to move this way until they crossed the river. This behavior, therefore, could be a local adaptation to protect calves from predators such as crocodiles and bull sharks.
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