The tapir population is booming in South America. The population of lowland tapirs in a remote national park system that connects the South American countries of Peru and Bolivia has been growing. After twelve years of research including camera evidence and interviews with hunters and park guards, the Wildlife Conservation Society now estimates there are approximately 14 thousand five hundred tapirs living in the national parks stretching over the Peru-Bolivia border. Tapirs are an endangered species due to over hunting, and habitat destruction from construction, logging and natural resource exploitation. The new data is encouraging for conservationists working on habitat restoration. Co-author of the study Robert Wallace said: "These results underline the fundamental importance of protected areas for the conservation of larger species of wildlife threatened by hunting and habitat loss." The lowland tapir is the largest land mammal in South America. It has a long trunk like nose and is genetically related to horses and rhinos. Tapirs are thought to have ancient genetic roots. They are herbivores that have an average life expectancy of 25 to 30 years in the wild. The largest tapirs are found in Malaysia and Sumatra in South East Asia, and can grow to be up to eight hundred pounds.