Endangered big-nosed baby animal born at Virginia zoo, photos show. What is it?
A baby animal with an elephant-like trunk is calling a zoo in Virginia home.
A female Baird’s tapir was born Sept. 1 at Metro Richmond Zoo, although the zoo did not unveil the baby online until an Oct. 30 Facebook post. Her name is Sandía, the zoo says, which is the Spanish word for “watermelon.”
Sandía was born to her parents, Tupelo and Chac, after a 13-month gestation period, the zoo said.
Tapirs are closely related to rhinos and horses, according to the Tapir Specialist Group. There are four living species of tapirs, which includes the Baird’s tapir that live in the rainforests and forests of Mexico and other Central American countries.
One of the tapir’s most striking features is its “short prehensile proboscis,” the zoo said, which is similar to an elephant trunk. They use it to grab leaves or snorkle while swimming, according to the Tapir Specialist Group.
Just like other baby tapirs, Sandía is dappled with white spots and stripes, which help keep it camouflaged in the forest, the zoo said. The markings eventually fade from the tapir’s fur at about 6 months old.
The first Baird’s tapir came to the Metro Richmond Zoo in 2013, according to a Facebook post from the zoo at the time. Its name was Tugmutton, the zoo said, and it joined the zoo’s other Brazilian tapirs.
This story was originally published October 31, 2023 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Endangered big-nosed baby animal born at Virginia zoo, photos show. What is it?."
