Lowland tapirs are the largest native land mammals in South America and are classified as Vulnerable. Deforestation for soy, cattle, and palm oil eliminates their habitat across the Amazon, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest.
Tapirs in fragmented forest remnants face increased predation risk, reduced access to wallowing and bathing sites essential for skin health, and inability to complete seasonal movements to access food resources. Road mortality affects tapirs crossing agricultural landscapes between habitat fragments. Pregnant females and young tapirs have higher vulnerability during dispersal through degraded landscapes.