Sini and Paramillo National Park).
Studies on their interaction (and
presence of hybrids?) and current
status are urgently needed. If T
pinchaque is found in the upper ridges
of the Western Cordillera, there could
be a contact zone between it and iT
bairdii.
 In Colombia there is also a rare and
very endangered subspecies of T
teresris, T terrstris colombianus, which
inhabits the jungles of the Magdalena
Medio, the Sierra Nevada de Santa
Marta, the Catatumbo and the upper
Sind River (an important watershed in
the northern Andes). This is quite
different from the more common
eastern lowland tapir (from the Llanos
and Amazonia). The subspecies is
almost wiped out, but it still inhabits
the Serrania de San Lucas, one of areas
in the world most overrun with
noncommercial (personal) mines. It
also exists in some sectors of the upper
Sind River.
 In Colombia we also have T.
terrestris, or eastern [lowland] tapir; it
inhabits the eastern planes or Llanos,
in the gallery forests along the water
bodies, but it is now rare in most of its
Llanos range due to overhunting. It
subsists in remote areas but it is always
taken as the prime hunting trophy.
Even local indigenous people have
decimated their tapir populations due
to encroachment of their territories
and overhunting. In the Amazon
jungles it is quite abundant in some
remote areas, but elsewhere, especially
near important rivers and communi-
ties it is overhunted and now very rare.
 Our network of private reserves has
achieved success by combinging
education and incentives. In fact, it has
now become a model for a similar
program in Ecuador supported by (but
independent from) Fundaci6n Natura.
To achieve success, it is necessary that
the local community understands the
importance of conservation, so a good
education program is needed along
with the conservation program.
Recognition and even incentives for
the program aimed to support the local
communities and their well-being are
also very important; this can be
achieved when other communities and
people from outside the local region


begin to visit the community and ask
them about their conservation
program. However, until the local
program is fully established, the
community has to have a counterplan
in case the local hunters appear. We
have to be careful about giving exact
localities for the presence of animals,
because not only local hunters but
professional hunters for the zoo trade
are looking for areas with tapirs.
 Of course, the participation and
will of the local community is the first
and most important requirement, and
sometimes it is advisable to work with
the local authorities and leaders. A
good point is to work with local
children and youth, to build up an
ecological movement and begin
the education and conservation efforts
at the same time.
 Colombia is the only country that
still has three species of Tapinis (and
one subspecies), but if nothing is
done, this world record won't last
much longer.

Emilio Constantino
Advisor
National Network of Private Re.reves of
the Civilian Society
Colombia
hutp:/cali.cetco. net. co/resnaturl
enillo@cali cetcol.net.co



Venezuela
Lowland tapir (Taphs twsrass)
Estimated population: Unknown
Mountaki tapir (Taprus phdtaque)
it s unknown f this species ever Ned In
 Venezuela: i so, it is probably exinct
 there now

One new TSG member is Denis
Alexander Torres of Venezuela,an
environmentalist and nature
illustrator. Dennis Torres has a strong
interest in tapirs, although his primary
research for the past eight years has
been with the Andean or spectacled
bear (Trenmrctos ornatus) in the
mountains of Venezuela. As of last
spring, he was planning studies on
Andean mammals, hoping to learn,
among other things, something about
the distribution and status ofTapirus


terraris in the Venezuelan Andes. He
reports that information available
about this species in the region is very
scarce.
 Torres also coordinates
environmental education programs in
rural schools. He suggests that in
Venezuela it is very important to
promote research on tapirs and other
large tropical mammals.
"Unfortunately, here the principal
interest is directed toward small
mammals, mainly rodents and bats."
He emphasizes the importance of
getting information to the public about
the tapir and its conservation. Research
techniques used in other countries for
these large mammals would be
welcomed as an adjunct to current
education in Venezuela.
 Although factual information is
rare, there is already an interest in
tapirs through culture and folklore.
"For example, last year the tapir was
the logo for the National Juvenile
Sport Games celebrated in Yaracuy
State." Near this city islocated the
Maria Lionza Natural Monument, a
protected area which includes tapirs.
This location is the site of a indigenous
legend about the tapir and an Indian
princess named Maria Lionza. A large
statue of the princess riding a tapir can
be found in Caracas.
 Torres also suggests that an
international database of information
collected from work done on various
tapir research projects would be
extremely valuable.

Contact:
Denis Alexander Torres
Coordinator,
Andean Bear Project PROVITA
Crupo Andigena
Apdo. Postal210, Mirida 5101-A
Edo. Merida, Venezula
andigena @fores.ula.ve



Trinidad &

Tobago
Lowlnd tapir (Tapirn twnests)
Estimated population: Unknown

No report.


Tapir Conservalion, Newsletter of the IJCWISSC Tapir Specialist Group Editor: Sharon Matola, PO. Box 1787, Beize City, Belize E-mail: BelizeZoo@bU.net / page 11