and in forests near rivers. They are
related to horses and rhinoceroses. Three
kinds of tapir live in Central and South
America. Another kind lives in Southeast
Asia.
A tapir has a heavy body with short legs.
It has a soft, flexible snout like a short
elephant trunk. Its feet have hooves, like
those of a horse. Tapirs weigh 500 to
600 pounds (225 to 270 kilograms).
They are 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters)
long, plus a short tail. They stand about
3 feet (1 meter) tall at the shoulder. The
tapirs of the Americas have brown or
gray hair. The tapir of Asia is black with
some white parts.
Tapirs are shy animals that like the deep
forest. They sleep most of the day. At
night they come out to eat grass, leaves,
water plants, and fruit. A tapir uses its
nose to move things aside and find
food, like a horse does. Tapirs swim to
escape their enemies, such as jaguars
and tigers.
Tapirs are endangered, which means
they are in danger of dying out. People
hunt tapirs for food and sport. Plus,
people have destroyed tapirs’ homes by
cutting down forests for wood.
#More to explore
Horse • Mammal • Rhinoceros
Tarsier
Tarsiers are tiny animals with huge eyes.
Their excellent senses of sight and hearing
make them good nocturnal, or
nighttime, hunters. Tarsiers belong to
A tapir walks along a riverbank in Ecuador.
A tarsier has pads on the tips of its long
fingers and toes. The pads are like suction
cups. They help the animal cling to a tree
trunk.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Tarsier 17
the group of animals called primates.
Other primates include lemurs, monkeys,
and humans. There are at least
three different species, or types, of
tarsier.
Tarsiers live in the rain forests of
Indonesia and the Philippines. They
spend most of their time in trees and
can leap between trunks 10 feet (3
meters) apart.
Tarsiers have brown, gray, or reddish fur.
They are only about 6 inches (15 centimeters)
long with a thin, 10-inch (25-
centimeter) tail. Tarsiers have a round
head with large eyes and ears. Like an
owl, a tarsier can turn its head halfway
around. Tarsiers’ fingers and toes have
pads like suction cups that help them to
grip branches.
Tarsiers sleep in trees during the day and
hunt on the ground at night. They jump
on their prey and grab it with their
hands. Tarsiers eat small animals such as
insects, lizards, and snakes. They do not
eat plants.
Some tarsiers live alone. Others live in
male and female pairs. They can have
babies at any time of the year. The
female is pregnant for six months and
then gives birth to one offspring. A baby
tarsier can climb and jump after only a
few days. Tarsiers can live for about 12
years.
..More to explore
Lemur • Monkey • Primate • Rain
Forest
Tashkent
Population
(2007 estimate)
1,959,190
Tashkent is the capital of the country of
Uzbekistan. It is one of the largest cities
in central Asia. It is also a major center
of culture and industry.
Many cotton farms surround Tashkent.
Factories in the city make cotton cloth
and machines used to process the cotton.
Other factories make airplanes,
packaged foods, and chemicals. Many
people in the city work in government
or business offices.
A museum in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, has a
domed roof. It is named after Timur, a Mongol
leader who ruled what is now Uzbekistan
in the 1300s.
Tarsiers are
the only
primates that
do not eat
plants.
18 Tashkent BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Tashkent dates back at least 2,000 years.
In ancient times it was an important
trading center. Many different groups,
including the Turks, the Arabs, and the
Mongols, ruled Tashkent over its long
history.
In 1865 Tashkent became part of Russia.
It soon became a regional capital. Along
with Russia, the city became part of the
Soviet Union in the early 1900s.
An earthquake destroyed much of Tashkent
in 1966. The city was later rebuilt.
Uzbekistan became an independent
country in 1991. Tashkent was made its
capital.
#More to explore
Uzbekistan
Tasmania
Tasmania is the smallest state of
Australia. Most of its land is a triangleshaped
island. The state also includes
the nearby islands of Bruny, King, and
Flinders as well as many smaller islands.
Macquarie Island, about 900 miles
(1,450 kilometers) to the southeast, is a
part of Tasmania, too. Tasmania’s
capital is Hobart.
Geography
Tasmania lies about 150 miles (240
kilometers) south of Victoria, a state in
southeastern Australia. The main island
is 180 miles (290 kilometers) long. Its
widest part is 175 miles (280
kilometers) wide. The state covers an
area of 26,410 square miles (68,401
square kilometers).
A flat, raised area called a plateau covers
much of the main island. Mountains rise
in the west. Mount Ossa, at 5,305 feet
(1,617 meters), is the highest point. The
Derwent and the South Esk are the
major rivers. The island also has more
than 4,000 lakes. Most of these lakes are
shallow. But Lake Saint Clair, with a
depth of more than 700 feet (215
meters), is Australia’s deepest lake. Tasmania’s
climate is mild and moist.
Tasmania, Australia, is home to small, fierce
animals called Tasmanian devils. The island
has many kinds of animals and plants that
are found nowhere else on Earth.
