title: Tapir health and conservation medicine.
abstract: Tapirs have unique nutritional needs, as well as anatomical, physiological, behavioral and ecological adaptations that must be considered when managing their health, both in the wild and in captivity. Information about how tapirs live in their natural habitats can provide crucial knowledge to prevent many of the health problems found in captivity such as infectious and parasitic diseases, reproductive issues and nutritional and behavioral disorders. Likewise, proper management in captivity can significantly contribute to in situ conservation programs. Conservation medicine is a science created to address the global health crisis that jeopardizes biodiversity causing imbalances among ecosystem, human, animal and vegetal health. In this context, common threats to tapir health and conservation, such as isolated and small populations surrounded by human activity, chemical pollution, domestic animals and their pathogenic agents, need to be better understood. This manuscript provides information about the health of tapirs both in captivity and in the wild and aims to encourage tapir conservationists worldwide to gather information about pathogen and disease dynamics and manifestation, as well as implications for tapir conservation.
authors.affiliation: Lowland Tapir Conservation Initiative, IPÊ-Institute for Ecological Research, Nazaré Paulista, São Paulo, BrazilBrazilian Institute for Conservation Medicine-TRÍADE, Recife, Pernambuco, BrazilUCN/SSC Tapir Specialist Group (TSG), Gland, SwitzerlandIUCN/SSC Wildlife Health Specialist Group (WHSG), New York, NY, USAIUCN/SSC Peccary Specialist Group (PSG), Gland, SwitzerlandEscola Superior de Conservação Ambiental e Sustentabilidade (ESCAS/IPÊ), Nazaré Paulista, São Paulo, BrazilIUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG), Brazil Network, Campo Grande, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Rogerio
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Mangini
authors.affiliation: Lowland Tapir Conservation Initiative, IPÊ-Institute for Ecological Research, Nazaré Paulista, São Paulo, BrazilBrazilian Institute for Conservation Medicine-TRÍADE, Recife, Pernambuco, BrazilUCN/SSC Tapir Specialist Group (TSG), Gland, SwitzerlandIUCN/SSC Wildlife Health Specialist Group (WHSG), New York, NY, USAIUCN/SSC Peccary Specialist Group (PSG), Gland, SwitzerlandEscola Superior de Conservação Ambiental e Sustentabilidade (ESCAS/IPÊ), Nazaré Paulista, São Paulo, BrazilIUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG), Brazil Network, Campo Grande, Brazil.
authors.forename: Emilia Patrícia
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Medici
authors.affiliation: Lowland Tapir Conservation Initiative, IPÊ-Institute for Ecological Research, Nazaré Paulista, São Paulo, BrazilBrazilian Institute for Conservation Medicine-TRÍADE, Recife, Pernambuco, BrazilUCN/SSC Tapir Specialist Group (TSG), Gland, SwitzerlandIUCN/SSC Wildlife Health Specialist Group (WHSG), New York, NY, USAIUCN/SSC Peccary Specialist Group (PSG), Gland, SwitzerlandEscola Superior de Conservação Ambiental e Sustentabilidade (ESCAS/IPÊ), Nazaré Paulista, São Paulo, BrazilIUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG), Brazil Network, Campo Grande, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Carolina
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Fernandes-Santos
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D010527:Perissodactyla / Q000502:physiology*; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000379:methods*