Tapirus Veroensis Fossil Collection

The Tapirus Veroensis, commonly known as the Vero tapir, was an extinct species of tapir that inhabited North America during the Pleistocene epoch, also known as the Ice Age. This period, spanning from approximately 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago, was characterized by significant glacial cycles and the presence of megafauna across the continent.

Fossil evidence of Tapirus veroensis has been discovered in various locations across the southeastern United States, including Florida. One notable site for such discoveries is the Withlacoochee River region in Florida. During the Ice Age, Florida's landscape differed considerably from its modern appearance. Lower sea levels exposed vast areas of the continental shelf, creating extensive coastal plains and altering river systems. The Withlacoochee River, like other waterways in the region, would have been part of a dynamic ecosystem supporting a diverse array of prehistoric animals, including the Vero tapir.

The Vero tapir was a large, herbivorous mammal, likely similar in appearance and habits to modern tapirs, possessing a short, prehensile snout. Its diet would have consisted of soft vegetation, leaves, and fruits, which were abundant in the subtropical and temperate environments of Ice Age Florida.. The presence of Tapirus veroensis in the Withlacoochee River area indicates that this region provided suitable habitat, including access to water and ample forage, for these ancient proboscideans during the Pleistocene. The extinction of the Vero tapir, along with many other North American megafauna, is generally attributed to a combination of climate change at the end of the Ice Age and human hunting pressure.