The South American tapir, also known as the Brazilian tapir, has made a remarkable comeback to the Brazilian rainforest after a century of absence. This large mammal, often called the "gardener of the forest" for its role in seed dispersal, was last seen in the wild in 1914 in the Serra dos Órgãos National Park.
Urbanization and hunting led to the tapir's local extinction, but thanks to conservation efforts, the species is now making a resurgence. Cameras set up by the Rio de Janeiro State Institute of Environment (INEA) captured images of three tapirs, including a mother and her calf, roaming the forests of the Cunhambebe State Park (PEC) in Brazil. The PEC, a 38,000-hectare reserve in the Atlantic Forest, serves as a refuge for endangered species.
The return of the tapir to the Atlantic Forest, one of the world's most biodiverse and threatened biomes, is a beacon of hope for conservation. The tapir's presence signifies a healthy and thriving ecosystem, demonstrating the effectiveness of conservation efforts in restoring biodiversity.