The National Parks Board (NParks) has put up posters advising the public on what they should do if they spot a tapir in the wild.

This follows two consecutive sightings of the endangered Malayan tapir along the Punggol Park Connector in July and September this year.

Do not approach

A photo of the poster was shared in the Facebook group Singapore Wildlife Sightings by user John Lee.

It was apparently put up on the morning of Sep. 12.

The poster notes that a tapir has been seen in the area, and that members of the public should move away from the tapir if they encounter it.

They should also avoid using flash photography or feeding the tapir.

Members of the public may also contact the Animal Response Centre at 1800 476 1600 to report any sightings of the tapir.

Mothership understands that these posters have been put up in the vicinity of Punggol Park Connector, where tapir sightings were reported.

Tapir tourists

Malayan tapirs are agile and fast swimmers.

There is no historical record of wild tapirs residing in Singapore so it is believed these tapirs are visitors from Johor.

It's possible that they may have swum over to mainland Singapore directly from Malaysia. However, they could have also used nearby islands as pit stops.

Described to be living fossils, tapirs have been around since the Eocene. However, all four species are now either endangered or listed as vulnerable due to habitat destruction or poaching.

The Malayan tapir is the only tapir species found in Asia.

In addition to being the largest of all four tapir species, it's also considered an endangered species under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Top photo from John Lee/Facebook and Mandai Wildlife Reserve