New Addition to Aspinall Brazilian Tapir Family

10^th April 2013 UNDER Blog

Aspinall Foundation keepers were over the moon this Easter, and not just because they got a chance to eat loads of chocolate! It was a chance to see the latest addition to the Brazilian Tapir family venture out into the cold for a little look around, and what a little beauty he is!

So here’s little ‘Inca’, an absolutely beautiful Brazilian Tapir who made his first tentative steps out into the Howletts Wild Animal Park to check out what was going on! Isn’t he amazing?! He was actually born in February, but due to the delightful weather we’ve been having (will it ever heat up?), Inca has been keeping warm in the Tapir shelter with his mother.

Head of Hoofstock Section, Joel Bunce, said –

The little fella is doing really well and mum is keeping a close eye on him. Now that the weather is showing some signs of becoming milder, visitors should be able to spot them more easily, as they explore their paddock. The Brazilian tapir is found in rainforests and swamps in Brazil, Columbia, Venezuela and Paraguay and they are essentially forest dwellers. Young are born with a spotted and striped coat which helps to camouflage them and hide them from prey.

Here’s some interesting facts about the Brazilian Tapir you may not know –

They are the largest land mammal in Brazil
Their nose grows really long and is a bit like a mini trunk!
If they feel they are under threat they hide water
They can weigh up to 300kg

The Tapir enclosure has recently been improved at the park, thanks to the generosity of the PAR Group, a local firm who specialise in insulation and rubber products. They very kindly donated plastic door strip curtains that help to keep the Tapirs warm by improving insulation. Here’s hoping Inca the best of health for the future, and that he has a lot of fun now that the weather is slowly getting warmer.

If you would like to adopt a Brazilian Tapir though the Aspinall Foundation, why not check out our dedicated page to these beautiful creatures. Here you will find more information on the species, and how your small monthly donation helps to protect them from endangerment.