The Malayan tapir is an unusual looking species, known for its stand-out colouration and resemblance to pigs. Whilst infants are born with brown skin that is striped and dotted with white markings, adults have black fronts and white rear-halves. Their long noses can be used as snorkels when swimming, and to grasp branches, fruits, or leaves off bushes.
When detecting scents, tapirs exhibit an expression known as the flehmen response — this posture is frequently demonstrated by bulls sniffing for signs of other males, or for females in oestrus in the area. They have very poor eyesight, so Malayan tapirs rely heavily on their excellent senses of smell and hearing.