TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) The Reid Park Zoo says a baby Baird's tapir was born earlier this month.
According to a post on the zoo website, the male calf was born on November 9 and weighed about 25 pounds.
The Tapir does not have a name yet but the Tucson community will soon get the chance to vote.
The parents of the new addition are 15-year-old Contessa and 11-year-old Tupi.
For now the calf will not be in a public exhibit as he gains his strength, but the zoo says visitors may get the chance to see him when he gets the chance to explore his habitat.
Contessa was brought to the zoo to breed with Tupi as part of a Species Survival Plan, according to a release from Reid Park Zoo.
Below is a portion of the press release with more information on the animals:
The Baird’s tapir is classified as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Due to the low reproductive rate, the Baird’s tapir is particularly vulnerable to disturbance such as habitat loss.
