• Outdoors Outdoors

Hidden trail cameras capture footage of South America's largest mammal once believed extinct: 'This … reflects the importance of protected areas'

It hasn't been spotted in the Atlantic Forest for over 100 years.

It hasn't been spotted in the Atlantic Forest for over 100 years.

Photo Credit: iStock

South America's largest land mammal has made a historic comeback. 

The South American tapir hasn't been spotted in the Atlantic Forest for over 100 years and was considered extinct in Brazil's coastal region. Scientists were happy to be proven wrong.

AS reported on the endangered animals' exciting reappearance when recordings of a female South American tapir and her calves were discovered on hidden trail cameras.

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty?

Definitely 👍

Only in some areas ☝️

No way 👎

I'm not sure 🤷

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The South American tapir is known as the "gardener of the forest" because the herbivore plays a vital role in the ecosystem, scattering seeds while eating fruits and leaves. Hunting, urbanization, and deforestation led to the tapir's decline and inclusion on the endangered species list. The South American tapir was last seen in the Costa Verde region in 1914, leading many to believe it was extinct.

Researchers at Rio de Janeiro's State Institute of Environment were thrilled when their cameras captured hundreds of images and videos of a South American tapir family walking through the lush forests of the Cunhambebe State Park, a conservation area created in 2008.

Conservationists have helped birds once extinct in the wild, like the Hawaiian ʻalalā, to make stunning comebacks. Snails recently returned to French Polynesia. In Pennsylvania, the weasel-like fisher was captured on similar trail cams after being successfully reintroduced. 

The restoration of these species is a big win for biodiversity, which benefits all living beings, including humans. Diverse wildlife supports the healthy ecosystems we rely on, like the pollinators who play a vital role in our food production. 

The return of the South American tapir is exciting for scientists and conservationists because it proves that establishing protected areas works. Cunhambebe State Park "serves as a sanctuary for species in danger of extinction, allowing the maintenance of several essential ecological interactions such as seed dispersion, population control and genetic flow," explained a spokesperson with Rio de Janeiro's State Institute of Environment, per AS.

"This challenge reflects the importance of protected areas and conservation efforts in the recovery of emblematic species."

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.

Cool Divider