Endangered Baird’s Tapir Calf Born at San Diego Zoo

Female Calf Born to Mother ‘Luna’

SAN DIEGO (June 25, 2024) – The San Diego Zoo recently welcomed a female Baird’s tapir (“tay-pr”) calf on June 3, 2024, to mother Luna. The calf, who is not yet named, and her mother can now be seen at Elephant Odyssey, sharing a space with the capybaras.

Tapir calves are born with patterns that provide excellent camouflage in the wild. As they grow into adults, their coats change to a dark red-brown to black color, with a white chest, chin and ear fringes. Typically baby tapirs are left hidden while their mothers forage.

Luna is bonding with her calf by vocalizing to her, licking her and keeping a close eye on her at all times. The calf is starting to get “zoomies” and likes to mouth and play with leaves and food even if she’s not eating it. They spend their time grooming, nursing and laying together.

Tapirs play a crucial role in maintaining the biological diversity of tropical forests. As essential seed dispersers, they contribute significantly to their ecosystems by helping fertilize the forest floor. This process promotes the growth of new plants, which in turn provide food and shelter for a variety of other species.

Native to Mexico and Central America, the Baird’s tapir is listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and faces many challenges in the wild. Among them include being hunted for sport in Costa Rica and habitat loss due to farming, cattle grazing, and palm oil and rubber plantations, which ultimately reduces their food supply.

Efforts are underway in Central and South America to protect tapir habitats and promote them as flagship wildlife to encourage tourism. This approach can create jobs beyond farming and logging and inspire people to help protect this unique animal.