Wherever tapirs live, there lives the hope of tropical forests. This hope comes in the form of a precious package filled with seeds and nutrients that are the key to maintaining and restoring tropical forests.
The package is commonly known as manure. Fantastic manure, I might add. Tapirs, architects of forests, help spread the nutrients needed to keep forests alive, simply by eating and excreting.
And while tapirs help keep forests alive around the world, their manure has special value in the Guanacaste mountain range in Costa Rica. In these mountains, the survival of the rare, endemic and endangered Jícaro Danto trees (Parmentiera valerii) depends on tapirs, so much so that the tree has evolved to entice them, growing sweet, cucumber-shaped fruits called “jícaro” or “cacho” on its trunks – a real treat for tapirs.
Defying physics
Tapirs defy physics, using their anatomy in unimaginable ways to reach the best fruits of the jícaro. After locating the fruits thanks to their keen sense of smell, the tapirs stand up, supporting more than 285 kilos on their two hind legs, to reach the tree trunk with their front hooves and use their prehensile snout to grab the precious jícaro.
The tapir is the only herbivore capable of breaking the hard shell of the fruit and reaching the soft core, where small heart-shaped seeds await to be ingested. This reward not only provides energy and nutrients to the tapirs, but also allows these little hearts to be processed and delivered miles away from the parent tree. By being ingested by the tapirs, the chances of the seeds germinating and growing are increased. In other words, the tapirs are literally spreading love!
- Lovely symbiosis in danger
Unfortunately, this “lovely symbiosis” is in danger; both tapirs and jícaros are listed as endangered species with declining populations on the IUCN Red List. We need to protect tapirs to save the Jícaro Danto, at the same time we need to restore Jícaro Danto populations to save tapirs throughout the Cordillera de Guanacaste.
In wildlife conservation, the only way to ensure long-term success is by strengthening a symbiosis we call collaboration. That’s why Tapir Valley collaborates with local and international partners to protect, restore and spread this magical, endangered symbiosis.
The good news is that love for tapirs and jícaros is in the air. Communities, scientists and conservationists are working together to protect biodiversity in a land between volcanoes in northern Costa Rica. There is hope for tropical forests!
