Remarkable Event: Endangered Tapir Species Welcomes Rare Birth in the U.S.

After the birth of beautiful baby polar foxes in an animal park in England, it is the turn of the Miami Zoo in the United States to announce similar news. The keepers actually had the pleasant surprise of witnessing the birth of an endangered animal species

An adorable Malayan tapir, also known as an Asian tapir, has been born at Zoo Miami, the first birth of this species at the zoo in 18 years.

The Malaysian tapir is classified by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as an endangered species. It is indeed threatened by deforestation which is gradually destroying its habitat. Some communities also hunt it for its meat.

The 8.4 kg baby tapir is in excellent health

The cub, who has not yet been named, is a male. This was confirmed following a neonatal examination carried out by the zoo’s animal health team. This examination, carried out a few days after birth, ensures that newborns are healthy and developing normally.

So far, all signs point to the baby tapir being on the right track. Keepers have confirmed that he is able to suckle from his mother. He already weighs about 8.4 kg. This may seem like a lot for a newborn, but it is important to remember that the Malayan tapir is the largest species of tapir in the world. There are 4 in total.

Adults weigh an average of 250 kg and some can even exceed 360 kg. The Malayan tapir is also the only one that lives in the Eastern Hemisphere. The birth of this animal in the Miami Zoo is therefore excellent news for the conservation of the species.

The baby was born after 13 months of gestation.

The baby Malayan tapir was born under the Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in the United States. The association provides zoos and wildlife parks with recommendations based on the parents’ genetic information.

This allows the birth of young of any species with the best possible genetic diversity. The mother named Tengi, aged 8, gave birth after 13 months of gestation. She had a stillborn baby in 2022.

This is the first time Tengi has had viable offspring since she arrived at Zoo Miami. As for the baby tapir’s father, his name is Kazu and he is 12 years old. This is his very first offspring.

The Malayan tapir is an excellent swimmer.

Zoo Miami confirmed that the young male will stay with his mother as long as necessary to ensure his proper development. His coat is currently dark brown with white spots that camouflage him in the forest.

As an adult, the Malayan tapir is predominantly black. The lower part of its body outside its limbs is covered in gray to conceal the outline of its body.

The Malayan tapir feeds on leaves, noises and twigs. A very good swimmer, it uses its trunk as a snout to feed on aquatic vegetation underwater. The Malayan tapir is thus most often found around bodies of water in the tropical forests of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Source: Zoo Miami