The five extant species of tapirs are the Brazilian tapir, the Malayan tapir, the Baird's tapir, the kabomani tapir, and the mountain tapir. Four species
The IUCN Red Book lists the four species of tapirs (Tapirus bairdii, T. terrestris, T. pinchaque and T. indicus) as either vulnerable or endangered. The Mountain tapir, T. pinchaque, is one of the most endangered large mammals in the world. The Baird’s tapir, T. bairdii, is the largest land mammal in the Neotropics and also endangered. The Malayan tapir, T. indicus, is the only Old World extant species and is also endangered in Sumatra and mainland Malaysia. Tapirs are herbivores best suited to primary or old growth secondary forest, and their reproduction is slower than most mammal species due to a long gestation period (13 months) and to the fact that there is only one offspring per gestation. Tapir Habitat Range. Note that ranges are an illustrated approximation. Tapirs are mammals which are often confused with hippos, anteaters and capybaras. Their closest living relatives are odd-toed ungulates (hoofed animals), horses and rhinos. There are four living species of tapir: Baird's tapir Lowland tapir Mountain tapir Malayan tapir. Tapirs are herbivores best suited to primary or old growth secondary forest, and their reproduction is slower than most mammal species due to a long gestation period (13 months) and to the fact that there is only one offspring per gestation. Tapir Habitat Range. Note that ranges are an illustrated approximation. Anatomy: Amazonian tapirs (also known as lowland or Brazilian tapirs) are one of the largest mammals found in South America. Weighing in at anywhere between 350 to 600 pounds, adult tapirs have rather corpulent bodies. Unusual in appearance, tapirs have thick necks, stumpy tails, and large ears.  The tapir is found in moist, dense forests in the more temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere. There are four known species of tapir today, all of which are classified as endangered. The different species of tapir are the Baird's Tapir which is native to Central America and the northern parts of South America. Female tapirs are thought to breed every other year, and the baby tapirs tend to leave their mother when they are between 2 and 3 years old. Today, all four species of tapir are considered to be Prehistoric tapirs inhabited Europe, North America and south-east Asia. The genus Tapirus can be traced back to the early Miocene (at least 8 million years ago). Of the four species which survive today, three migrated from Central to South America across the Panamanian Land Bridge 2-3 million years ago. The family Tapiridae comprises four living species in the single genus Tapirus: Tapirus pinchaque (mountain tapir), T. terrestris (lowland tapir), T. bairdii (Baird’s tapir) and T. indicus (Asian or Malayan tapir). The origins of the Tapiridae can be traced back at least fifty million years. Tapirs are elusive, friendly and mostly nocturnal. Since 1865, there have been four known species of tapir—one in Asia and three in Central and South America. This new find is number five. The tapir species is new to science, but has been known to and hunted by tribes in the Amazon rainforests of Colombia and Brazil for millennia. The Malayan tapir is an Endangered Species, and scientists estimate there are as few as 3,000 left. Mountain tapirs from the Andes Mountains of South America and Baird’s tapirs from Central America are also Endangered, and the Brazilian tapir is Vulnerable. Tapirs are most closely related to horses and rhinos, not pigs or elephants. There are 4 species of Tapir in the world. Three of them live in South and Central America. The Malayan Tapir, the 4th species, is the only one which lives in Asia. Tapir Characteristics. Tapirs measure between 1.8 – 2.5 metres (6 – 8.25 feet) in length depending on species – the Malayan Tapir is the largest and the Mountain Tapir is the smallest. Their weight can vary between 180 – 320 kilograms (396 – 704 pounds) and they can stand around 1 metre (3 feet) at shoulder height.  The five extant species of tapirs are the Brazilian tapir, the Malayan tapir, the Baird's tapir, the kabomani tapir, and the mountain tapir. The four species that have been evaluated (the Brazilian, Malayan, Baird's and mountain tapir) are all classified as endangered or vulnerable.  Tapirs are among the most primitive large mammals in the world, dating back 20 million years. There are four species of Tapir native to Southeast Asia and in Central and South America, all of which are classified as “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List, due to ongoing decline. 
http://tapirs.org/tapirs/ http://tapirs.org/tapirs/ http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/kids/species-profiles/amazonian-tapir http://a-z-animals.com/animals/tapir/ http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=126 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2013/12/17/new-species-of-dwarf-tapir-discovered-in-amazon-rainforest/ http://kids.mongabay.com/animal-profiles/malayan_tapir.html https://animalcorner.co.uk/animals/tapir/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapir http://www.zooborns.typepad.com/zooborns/tapir/
how many species of tapir are there