# How Long Do Malayan Tapirs Live?

> Malayan Tapir lifespan is typically 25–30 years in the wild. What shortens or extends life, life stages, and status (Endangered).

- **Species:** Malayan Tapir (*Tapirus indicus*)
- **Conservation status:** Endangered
- **Diet:** Herbivore — leaves, shoots, fruit, and aquatic plants
- **Habitat:** Tropical rainforests of Malaysia, Thailand, and Sumatra
- **Lifespan:** 25–30 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** Up to 48 km/h (30 mph) on forest paths
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/tapir/how-long-do-tapir-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/tapir/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The Malayan tapir is the largest tapir species and the only one native to Asia, with a striking black front and white rear that breaks up its outline in dappled rainforest. Weighing 250–320 kg (550–700 lb), it browses leaves and fruit, disperses seeds, and is Endangered from deforestation and snaring.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a prognosis for one named animal. This page is a species lifespan range.

## Living fossil

Tapirs have changed little in 20 million years — short prehensile snouts grasp leaves and fruit, and splayed toes suit soft forest floor. Malayan tapirs are odd-toed ungulates related to horses and rhinos, not pigs.

## Help protect the Malayan Tapir

Malayan tapirs lose rainforest to logging and plantations across Southeast Asia.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/tapir/how-long-do-tapir-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.