Dartmoor Zoological Park is incredibly proud of their new Brazilian Tapir! Little ‘Rofilho’ was born, April 6th, to mom ‘Chana’.
Photo Credits: Dartmoor Zoological Park; Video Credits: Colin Northcott
Rofilho is Chana’s third son. He was named in honor of his father ‘Roger’, who, sadly, passed away a year ago. In Portuguese, ‘filho’ means son, and preceded by ‘Ro’, the new young man’s name means “Roger’s son”.
Tiny Rofilho has been a welcome surprise legacy for the Dartmoor family. The gestation period for a tapir is about 13 months, and it is very hard to tell if a female is pregnant, until the last month or so, when she begins producing milk in preparation.
The South American Tapir, or Brazilian Tapir, is one of five species in the tapir family, along with the Mountain Tapir, Malayan Tapir, Baird’s Tapir, and the Kabomani Tapir. It is the second-largest land mammal in South America, after the Baird’s Tapir.
The tapir is a herbivore. It uses its mobile snout to feed on leaves, buds, shoots, and small branches it tears from trees. Tapirs also enjoy fruit, grasses, and aquatic plants.
The Brazilian Tapir is currently classified as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List. Dwindling numbers are due to poaching for meat and their hides. Habitat destruction also plays a role in their endangerment.
More great pics, below the fold!
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