I was thrilled to catch a glimpse of the baby tapir, born on July 3rd. There was a huge crowd around the window, and a lot of glare off the glass, but I managed to get one fairly clear shot.

Photo: Ryan Hawk Adult Tapir

Woodland Park Zoo’s newest baby is a female Malayan tapir born on July 3rd and is the fourth birth of her 12 year old parents and the only birth of the species in North America over the last year. The baby tapir has a dark brown coat with cream strips and spots. The stripes help provide camouflage in bamboo jungles, but they fade after a few months when the Tapir begins to get its adult coloration. Once it reaches adulthood its weight will most likely average 750 lbs, but some tapirs can weigh up to 900 lbs. Tapirs are one of the most primitive animals in the world because their appearance has changed little in the last 15 million years. Their closest relatives are the horse and rhinoceros. The Malayan tapir is endangered and is the only Asian species among the four tapir species. It is native to Sumatra, Myanmar, southern Thailand, and the Malay Peninsula. From: King 5.com