Fossil TapirTapirus veroensis
Fossil Tapir are very abundant in the fossil record of Florida. In fact, there may be more of these Prehistoric Tapir Skeletons found in Florida than any other place in the world.
They are primitive hoofed browsers with a trunk-like nose and look similar to a large pig. But there nearest relatives are the horses and rhinos. The short trunk is used to guide vegetation into the mouth. 
They have low-crowed teeth with distinct ridges and chisel-shaped incisors. 
Appearing in the Early Eocene around 55 Million Years ago, they were members of the Perissodactyls. Tapirus veroensis sp. went extinct around 11 Thousand Years ago. The oldest known Tapir from the fossil record of Florida is a lower fossil tooth from the Early Miocene in Hernando County. 
There were four fossil species of Tapirus known to have lived in Florida. This robust primitive mammal has changed little in millions of years. They are still alive today with three modern species in Central and South America, and one in Southeast Asia. American Lion Bear Dog Cave Lion Columbian Mammoth Dire Wolf Fossil Manatee Giant Armadillo Giant Beaver Giant Capybara Glyptodont Gomphotheres Harlan's Ground Sloth Mastodon Miocene Rhino Saber-Toothed Cats Scimitar Cat Woolly Mammoth Woolly Rhino Back to Prehistoric Mammals Leave Fossil Tapir / Go to Home Page
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