180-kilo tapir is rescued with hunting injuries in Tapiraí A male tapir, approximately four years old and weighing 180 kilos, was rescued on Monday morning (8) in the Ribeirão das Antas neighborhood, in Tapiraí (SP). The animal had injuries and was very weak. According to biologist Rafael Mana, from the Forest Center (Cras), in São Roque (SP), the institution was contacted by the Municipal Council for the Defense of the Environment (Comdema) of Tapiraí after residents reported the presence of an injured tapir in the region. 📲 Join the g1 Itapetininga e Região channel on WhatsApp "They were monitoring until our arrival. We found a very weakened, dehydrated, completely prostrate animal with numerous injuries that are consistent with barbed wire, dog bites, scratches that could even be from a puma. But there are signs that the animal has suffered from predatory hunting. We believe that it was shot by hunters, as we found the shot hole and the projectile is probably still inside", reports the biologist. Tapir was found very weak and with hunting injuries in Tapiraí (SP) Forest Center/Disclosure To carry out the rescue, the team initially had to contain the animal with the help of a cambão. The tapir was then sedated using tranquilizers. After the procedure, the animal was sent to the Forest Center, where it remains under veterinary care. According to biologist Rafael Mana, the tapir is receiving intensive treatment, which includes hydration, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, painkillers and anti-tetanus serum. "She is being monitored full-time, but the evolution of the condition, for now, is unfavorable. We are doing everything possible and hoping for recovery", says the specialist. The team restrained the animal and took it to the rehabilitation center in São Roque (SP), where it receives intensive care. Forest Center/Disclosure Hunter targets Patrícia Faria, environmental educator and president of Comdema, told g1 that the region where the tapir was found is known for the presence of hunters. According to her, this situation led the agency to start a survey to identify the number of wild animals killed by hunting. "We still don't have official numbers, only specific cases reported by the community. In the last 12 months, what reached us were three tapirs found dead in Tapiraí", points out Patrícia. READ ALSO: Largest feline in the Americas: monitoring indicates a drop in the jaguar population in the Paranapiacaba Continuum Buried alive and abandoned in the trash: rescued dogs overcome trauma and find new homes in the interior of SP 'Guardians' of Creole corn: learn about the activity carried out by women that preserves traditional seeds in the interior of SP According to the professional, residents made their first contact around 7am. The animal was found in an area located about five kilometers from the city center. "But from the place where he was first seen to the point where we found him, he traveled about 10 kilometers, walking along the road," he said. The rescued tapir was named by Patrícia as Neymar. According to her, the choice of the name aimed to give more visibility to the case and the institutions that work to protect wild animals. "As we are close to the World Cup, I thought about the best-known Brazilian player," he commented. Rescued tapir was named by Patrícia as Neymar Forest Center/Disclosure The environmental educator explains that Tapiraí is located in one of the most preserved Atlantic Forest areas in the state of São Paulo, a habitat for several species of wildlife, including tapirs. The very origin of the municipality's name reinforces this relationship with the animal, whose scientific name is Tapirus terrestris. According to the city hall, "Tapiraí" is an indigenous expression that means "place of tapirs", in reference to the large presence of these animals in the region. However, the municipality faces the challenge of combating illegal hunting, which, according to Patrícia, occurs for different reasons. "Like the consumption of wild animal meat and the search for a hobby. The biological wealth of the region ends up attracting people from other locations to hunt, often with the support of city residents in exchange for financial benefits. In some cases, these incursions are also associated with the illegal exploitation of the juçara palm, increasing pressure on the fauna and local ecosystems. Basically, they kill to have a 'trophy'. People come from abroad, with money, exchanging it for guidance, help with hunting. Unfortunately, it's very sad", laments the specialist. The survey being carried out by Comdema, through the Territory Observatory project, should be delivered by the end of this year. "We are working hard on environmental education through projects, such as Ecos da Floresta", concludes Patrícia. A team from the Forest Center and Comdema worked to rescue the tapir named after Neymar Forest Center/Disclosure Tapiraí albino tapirs Tapiraí is also known for the frequent records of albino tapirs, reported by residents and researchers in the region. The population of these animals was the subject of a scientific study conducted by Mariana Landis, researcher at the Manacá Institute, a partner of Legado das Águas. She explains that albinism in itself is a rare condition, but having it happen twice in the same place is one in a million. "Two albino individuals in the same region, we considered it as if they were two lightning strikes falling in the same place, you know? Mainly because it is a recessive genetic characteristic, which is normally rarer in a wild animal. So, in 2018, we began a search for biological material, for samples from these individuals for analysis. We installed hair traps in the reserve, which were wires that the tapirs passed through and left the bulbous mane hairs, which contained the genetic information we needed send it to the laboratory and analyze the degree of kinship." Canjica, an albino male caught in Legado das Águas by one of the camera traps installed by Luciano Luciano Candisani Initial plugin text See more news on g1 Itapetininga and Region VIDEOS: watch TV TEM reports