WILD PLANT ACCEPTABILITY TO A CAPTIVE COSTA RICAN BAIRD'S TAPIR

Abstract

A captive adult male Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdil1 was offereathe foliage of 381 species of plants native to tapir habitat in Guanacaste Provo ince, Costa Rica. It absolutely rejected 55 percent, unambiguously accepted 29 percent, and ambigu osly treated the remaining 16 percent. While it did consume many species of foliage, it certainly was not indiscriminate in food choice. Sets of closely related species contained both strongly rejected and eagerly eaten species. Of 55 species of tree and shrub legumes, the foliage of only one (Pterocarpus rohrii) was eaten, while many species of herbaceous legumes (vines and self-supporting plants) were eaten. The foliage of many species of fast-growing early succession trees was eaten but that of many other species rejected (e. g., Trema micrantha, Bursera simaruba, Carica papaya). Some very aromatic plants were eaten eagerly, but spiny plants and hot fruits (Capsicum) were rejected. Foliage of garden plants was generally much more acceptable than that of wild closely related species. Even the foliage of favored species was eaten in quantities per meal far less than the stomach capacity of the tapir, and once "full" of one favored species, the tapir would then eat its fill of other favored species. The tapir's most eagerly sought foods were banana fruits (Musa sapientum) and the fruit pulp (endocarp) of guapinol (Hymenaea courbari/).