The IUCN/SSC-affiliated Tapir Specialist Group is a global group of biologists, zoo professionals, researchers and advocates dedicated to conserving tapirs and their habitat through strategic action-planning in countries where tapirs live, information sharing, and through educational outreach that shows the importance of the tapir to local ecosystems and to the world at large.


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  Lowland Tapir Born at Venezuelan Zoo

Denis A. Torres, TSG's Lowland Tapir Species Coordinator, announces the birth of a "robust" and "macho" baby tapir at Mérida's Parque Zoológico "Chorros de Milla." Weighing in at 8.5 kilograms, the male baby was born during the early hours of 15 April, 2004. The baby is being kept off public viewing for the first month, to protect him from the cold weather and rain that occurs this time of year.

Within minutes of his birth, this little tapir demonstrated much playfulness, curiosity and vitality. His mother, Simona, who was brought very young from the Parque Zoológico y Botánico Bararida of the city of Barquismeto, has shown to be an excellent mother and the relationship between her second little one is very loving and attentive. (She bore another baby in 2002).

Read more about Parque Zoológico"Chorros de Milla's tapir breeding and conservation program. More pictures, too.

All photos here, courtesy of Fundacion Andigena, and Denis Torres. Click to enlarge.


Close up of unnamed baby male tapir


Article from Diario El Nacional, one of Venezuela's national papers, about the birth.

For more information about tapir conservation in Venezuela, contact:

Denis Alexander Torres
PRESIDENT,
FUNDACION ANDIGENA
www.andigena.org
fundacion_andigena@yahoo.com
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