Tapir Coloring Page (1 of 4)

The tapir is the animal of the old story - the one said to feed on bad dreams - with a nose like a small elephant's trunk, a body somewhat like a bear's and feet a little like a rhino's, all gathered into one curious shape. It moves about at night on quiet feet. The lines on this first sheet are broad and clear, an easy way in.

About the Tapir

The tapir is a gentle plant-eater of tropical forests and an ancient kind of animal, little changed over a very long stretch of time. Its most distinctive feature is a short, flexible snout, a little like a small elephant's trunk, which it uses to gather leaves and fruit, and it is mostly active at night, picking its way quietly through the undergrowth.

In Japan the tapir shares its name, baku, with a creature of folklore said to eat bad dreams, and so it has long carried a gentle, comforting association - a guardian against nightmares set out for a peaceful sleep. That quiet, kindly image, together with the animal's genuinely odd and lovable look, makes it a warm and approachable subject to color.

Benefits as a Coloring & Brain Training Activity

For coloring, the Malayan tapir's bold two-tone coat is a real pleasure, an easy, striking scheme of dark and pale that comes together quickly, while a soft grey worked into the white keeps the body looking rounded. The simple, lovable shape is forgiving to fill in and makes a cheerful finished page that tends to raise a smile.