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Brazil-iant new addition to Flamingo Land zoo
THE patter of tiny tapir feet can now be heard at Flamingo Land near Malton following a special new arrival.
A female Brazilian tapir, who was born on July 10, is now settling into life in the zoo's South American enclosure.
The as-yet-unnamed baby is the second to be born at the park in the space of just over a year as her older brother, Eddy, arrived last June.
Zoo manager Ross Snipp said: "The keepers are all ecstatic – there's nothing cuter than a baby tapir!
"She's very lively on her feet and is feeding well.
"For the first 10 days we tend to keep the mother and baby in the shed and the yard to give them time to strengthen their bond. Then they'll be allowed out and about in the paddock."
The youngster is mum Tiggy's fourth calf and Mr Snipp says she is a "brilliant mum". The two other siblings have now been transferred to zoos in Blackpool and the Isle of Wight as tapirs do not tend to live in large groups in the wild.
He added: "She's very experienced and knows what to do. Her calves are very relaxed because she is too."
A tapir pregnancy lasts for 14 months and the newborn babies tend to weigh around 10-15kg.
Their natural habitat is the rainforests of South America and the calves' markings help them camouflage with the forest floor.
These spots and stripes will fade and disappear by the age of nine months.
* The tapir is related to the horse and rhinoceros.
* They have lived on Earth for about 35 million years.
* The tapir has blackish-brown fur, grows to a length of 160cm and shoulder height of 90cm, and when fully grown can weigh up to 270 kilos.
* They stand about the size of a Shetland pony, have hooves and a long flexible snout which resembles a short trunk.
* A tapir has four toes on its fore feet and only three on its hind.
* Tapirs in water will swim, sink to the bottom and walk along the river bed to feed.
Mother and baby: The young tapir is settling in well with mum Tiggy at Flamingo Land 102881a
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Friday 25 May 2012
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