TACOMA — An endangered child animal that appears like a fuzzy “walking watermelon” was born at a Washington zoo.
It’s the second time a tapir has been born on the zoo because it opened 120 years in the past, zoo officers mentioned.
The 20-pound wholesome new child is presently “nursing and bonding” with its mom, Yuna.
Yuna is 10 years previous and weighs practically 900 kilos, zoo officers mentioned. The creature’s father is Baku, and he’s additionally 10 and weighs 800 kilos.
Zoo officers mentioned they may identify the brand new child and announce its intercourse within the “coming weeks.”
However within the meantime, the calf will proceed to nurse for the following six months and stick with its mother for 12 to 18 months, zoo officers mentioned.
“Thank you Point Defiance Zoo for sharing this little miracle with us all!” one individual commented on Fb.
“Another fuzzy watermelon! So exciting,” one other individual wrote.
The Malayan Tapir is the most important of the 4 tapir species, based on the Tapir Specialist Group.
This species is present in Asia in southern Myanmar and southern Thailand.
Tapirs are herbivores and have lengthy and versatile noses for snagging leaves and fruit, the zoo mentioned.
When they’re infants, they’re born with white stripes and dots to mix in with their atmosphere.
The “mostly nocturnal” animal usually lives alone however might reside in a pair.
Zoo officers mentioned the tapir is endangered as a result of disappearing forests, farms, logging and being hunted by people.