AS-HOPE report

Number: AS-24-025

Preliminary research of the habitat of Malayan tapir in Malay peninsula

Report: Yuko Tawa

Date: 2012/9/5 - 2012/10/4

 I set infrared-sensor cameras at the salt lick in Belum-Temengor rainforest (place name: Tersau, Papan, Ular), looked for footprints of mammals, investigated species of the trees around the salt lick. I got the information that Dipterocarpaceae accounts for 70% of all plants in Belum-Temengor. I set trap-cameras for 24 days only, but I got pictures and videos of 7 species of mammals, including endangered species, Malayan tapir, Indian elephant, barking deer, common palm civet, porcupine, wild boar, and Malayan tiger. At Tersau salt lick came all 7 mammals, and Malayan tapir came for 15 days out of 24 days. For 5 days out of these 15 days, two tapirs came and stayed at salt lick for 30 - 60 minutes together. It appears that this two tapirs are couple. Considering the time of taking pictures, it is suggested that Malayan tapirs came to salt lick during dark period (from 7 p. m. to 7 a. m. ), and it appears that they often came between 2 a. m. and 4 a. m. and used salt lick. The vocal communication between two tapirs (couple, probably) was recorded. They used clicking noise, snout, and sliding squeal. I got more than 100 pictures and videos of Malayan tapir, and information about moving of tapirs in wild and about natural habitat of tapirs.

Forest and the lake formed by a dam


Three fingers footprint. It seems Malayan tapir's.

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