Return of Baird’s Tapir: Blessing or Omen? | Dr LaRoy Brandt – Maggie Singleton
Original Article Reference
This SciPod is a summary of ‘Record of Baird’s tapir Tapirus bairdii at the La Suerte Biological Field Station in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica’, in PeerJ Preprints. doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.27128v1
About this episode
The destruction of jungle and forest habitats is a serious issue threatening species across the globe. Dr LaRoy Brandt and Maggie Singleton of Lincoln Memorial University studied one such threatened species, Baird’s tapir, in Costa Rica. By identifying the tapir’s tracks and deploying remote trail cameras, the team caught rare glimpses of this threatened species, indicating a return of the native population and an increase in their numbers. The question is, however, is this increase a sign of improving habitats or a result of less favourable forces at play?
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